A Matter of Time
by Silent Cobra
Summary: In the middle of the night, Will and Elizabeth Turner and taken mysteriously. Morgan Sparrow Turner resorts to piracy and the one man who can help Jack Sparrow...who hasn't aged at all since the end of his last adventure. What is the Black Pearl? And w
1. Prelude

PRELUDE: Everything that happened til the point our story begins (condensed)

Captain Jack Sparrow, of the Black Pearl, stood quietly next to Will and Elizabeth Turner. The three of them stared silently into the ocean. The wind blew their hair back. Jack inhaled the salty scent of the sea.

"Jack, this is something for you to remember us by. I think you needed a new one anyway." Will said. He pulled a sword out of a long narrow box and handed it to the pirate.

Jack picked it out of Will's hands and studied it from all angles. There was a small medallion hanging from the hilt. A skull and crossbones; Jack grinned and sheathed it.

"Savvy?" Will asked.

"Savvy, mate."

Elizabeth leaned forward and kissed the pirate on the cheek. "Go be free, you vile drunkard."

"Hold on, are you that excited to get me gone?" Jack shook his head. "I have'n even given you two a wedding gift!"

Jack pulled a ring off his finger and handed it to Will. "If you or any future Turner's should need help, go to Tortuga and go to the Black Mermaid. It's a little known pub near the back of the town. Show the ring to the bartender and she'll know what to do." Jack leapt from the wall of Port Royal.

"I'm going to miss him," Elizabeth murmured into Will's chest. Will smiled and slipped the ring onto his finger.

"Oh, I think we'll be seeing Cap'n Jack Sparrow again, I know we will."

Jack slammed the door to his cabin shut. He heard the gasps of his crew. He didn't care. Nothing mattered to him anymore. He stopped and stared at a cloth covered wall. He reached up and tore the cloth down.

The painting was magnificent. There was a mermaid and a merman, swimming in a ship graveyard. In between them was…Jack reached up and touched the small stone in the painting.

The Black Pearl. The namesake of his ship. It was what every pirate wanted to find. It was what Jack was going to find, even if he had to go to the ends of the Earth to find it.

His hand dropped and he touched the sword Will had given him. He looked back up at the painting.

"Savvy?"

Elizabeth gave a small scream. Will winced as she attempted to break his fingers. "Just push, Mrs. Turner, it'll be over soon," the nursemaid said.

And push she did. She took a deep breath and pushed.

The nursemaid grasped the baby's head and pulled at the same time. It was over. Will and Elizabeth Turner were parents.

"Here's your little girl, milady." The nursemaid handed the girl to Elizabeth and slipped from the room.

"Oh, Will, what shall we call her?"

Will tilted his head back and thought for a minute. "Morgan, Morgan Sparrow Turner."

Jack cursed silently as his hat was whipped from his head. Gibbs rushed up to him.

"Cap'n, what be going on?"

Jack didn't answer. An unnatural fog settled around the Black Pearl. The waves crashed against her hull. AnnaMaria ran to Jack.

"Cap'n Jack! This fog, it ain't right!"

Jack gave her a cold look and was about to call everyone back to stations, when everything stopped. The ship wasn't moving, the wind was gone, and the fog was dissipating.

"What in the name of hell?" Jack whispered. He couldn't hear the waves…

He walked to the bow of the Pearl and looked down. The water wasn't moving. It was like they had come to rest in a still mirror lake. Jack felt his breath come out quickly. This wasn't right. This wasn't right at all.

He was about to turn around when he heard the water ripple. He turned and looked. He gagged in shock. A woman was resting in the water, looking straight at him. She had thick, black hair and cold green eyes. She raised her hand.

He did the same, was she greeting him? She waved once, there was a flash of light, and the Black Pearl, along with her crew, disappeared from the sea.

FIVE YEARS LATER

Morgan sat at her father's feet. She was looking up at him with rapt interest.

"And he said, 'Gentlemen, will you always remember today as the day you almost caught-' and he fell from the edge."

"Then the crew of the Pearl took him back."

"That's right Morgan," Will grinned. "Why do I even tell you this story anymore, you know it by heart."

Morgan smiled, her honey brown hair falling over her eyes. "I like the story."

"I have something for you Morgan."

She looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really." He slipped the ring off his finger and handed it to Morgan. "Jack gave this to me, and said if any Turner gets into trouble, to go to Tortuga and go to the Black Mermaid, a little known pub, and show it to the bartender. I want you to have it."

Morgan smiled, and slipped it on her finger.


	2. 1 Flying to Tortuga

12 YEARS LATER

Morgan's eyes snapped open. She rose to a sitting position and clutched her chest. Why was she dreaming about the ring? She held up her right hand and stared at it solemnly. She pulled a strand of honey-brown hair out of her face and scowled. Something wasn't right.

The house was quiet. Usually, at this time, she could hear her father working in his shop, or her mother scampering around, but it was silent…too silent. She swung her legs out of bed and stood up.

She crossed the room to her window and looked out. Fires burned in the distance. She frowned. Three ships were pulling out of port. She turned and headed towards her door, when she heard it.

The clang of swords clashing together. She froze, what was going on?

"Easy, Sparrow, you're 17, you can handle this," she told herself; using the nickname her father gave her.

She heard a muffled scream, and her father's words, "FLY SPARROW, FLY!"

She spun and ran to the concealed door. She flung it open and tore down the stairs. Her dagger rested on the mantle piece of the hidden room. She grabbed it. It was beautifully made, with a skull and crossbones hanging from the end.

She ripped her nightgown off and changed into a pair of breeches and a long-sleeved shirt. She stopped; the only sound was her breath. Morgan strained her ears for any sound. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, but was truly only a few minutes.

Silence greeted her ears as she slipped into the lobby of the Turner home. There were spots of blood on the floor, and a small knife dug into the doorframe.

"Mother…Father? Mom! Dad!" she called, but no one answered. She knew they wouldn't. They were gone. She looked down at the ring on her finger.

"Well, Mr. Sparrow, looks like I have a date in Tortuga."

Morgan ran to the stables, where a young stallion waited for her. "Easy Brazen, let's go." She leapt on his back and nudged his sides gently. Brazen took off, and she steered him easily with her legs.

They ran for a few minutes, and then she stopped him in front of a very large house. Commodore Kenwick Norrington's house. She jumped from his back and tied him to a tree. She scrambled over the fence and ran to the front door.

She pounded on it. "Open up in there! Hey!"

The door opened a crack and a maid was looking at her. "Mistress Turner! What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"I need to speak to the Commodore, it's urgent."

"Alright," the maid opened the door and Morgan burst into the house.

"Where is he?"

"In his study, miss."

Morgan, who knew this house almost as well as her own (minus the secret passageways, of course) took the steps two at a time and slowed in front of the study door.

She knocked. "Commodore?"

The door opened and she slid in. The commodore was sitting at his desk, writing in a small leather bound book.

"Ah, Sparrow, how many times must I tell you to call me Kenwick?"

Morgan grinned. "Sorry."

He put down his quill and looked up. "What do you need Morgan, you look serious."

"Kenwick, I need a ship."

He looked up at her in surprise.

"A ship?" He arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

"My parents have been taken, and I know of only one person who can help."

"Captain Jack Sparrow," Kenwick said softly. Morgan nodded. Kenwick stood up and walked to his window, which overlooked the port. He gestured to Morgan.

"Come here, Sparrow." She walked up and stood next to him. He pointed to one of the smaller, faster, clipper ships of the Royal Navy.

"The Majestic?" she whispered. It was faster than the Interceptor had been, and could be sailed by one person. "Isn't that your son's ship?"

"Jake does not deserve to a ship such as that."

Morgan nodded in agreement. "He is a pompous ass."

Kenwick laughed in surprise. "Aye, that he is."

They lapsed into silence.

"I'll create a distraction for you, Sparrow, then fly away and take the ship."

"The distraction is already being applied." Morgan pointed to the three ships, which were being chased by four RN ships.

"He didn't take the Majestic?" Kenwick whispered, "Stupid boy."

He turned and looked at her. "Fly straight and high, Sparrow. And don't look back, not until you've found what you're looking for."

Morgan nodded. "Thank you, Kenwick."

She turned and ran out the door. Kenwick watched her sadly.

"Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me…"

Captain Jake Norrington spun around. Where on Earth were those three ships going? He, and his crew, ran to the port.

"Captain, shouldn't we take the Majestic?"

"No, Lieutenant, that'd be far too easy."

Morgan scoffed as she watched him. He really was a pompous ass. He was to egotistic to realize what a help his ship would be. All the better for her.

As they sailed away, she sneaked on board the Majestic. She cut the ropes, raised the sails, and set off.

The rock of the sea was calming. She was going home.

Morgan silently steered the ship along. The sea was calm and placid. She raised her face to the sky and sniffed. Smoke, she smelled smoke.

"Aye! Lass!"

She looked down and saw a black man sitting on a log, waving up at her.

"Where ye be headin' in a ship like that?"

"Tortuga!" she replied honestly.

"Would ye mind givin' me a lift? Lookin' for a job there, meself."

She shrugged. Why not? She tossed a rope over the side and he grabbed onto to it. She pulled him aboard.

"Many thanks, lass. The name's Sin."

"Morgan, but call me Sparrow."

"Morgan, by chance you be the daughter of Will Turner?"

"You know my father?"

"Man made a beautiful sword for me about 18 years ago, before your time. Ye look just like him."

They lapsed into silence as the wind pushed them along. Straight for Tortuga.

This is a test of the emergency broadcast system


	3. 2 At the Black Mermaid

AN: Sorry for the long delay, family trip --;;; Thanks for all the reviews and I hope to keep pleasing. All standard disclaimers apply.

CHAPTER TWO: At The Black Mermaid

Sparrow and Sin stood on the dock at Tortuga.

"I guess this is where we part, lass," Sin said softly. Sparrow looked at him.

"I'm going up to the Black Mermaid, want to accompany me?"

Sin grinned. "Aye, Lass. Lead the way."

They set off. Tortuga was a lovely little town that everyone wanted to bring their family too. Sparrow scoffed. Lovely her ass. It stunk. Human waste was piling in the streets. Pirates drank like it was the end of the world. It smelled of feces and rum.

"Sin, do you know what I can use to get a pirate to agree to a deal?"

"Aye, Lass, rum."

Sparrow rolled her eyes. "I should have known. Where can I get barrels of it?"

"Who ya tryin' to convince, Lass?"

"Cap'n Jack Sparrow."

"A lot of rum, then," Sin said.

Sparrow laughed. A man walked up to her.

"Missy, how much ye be?"

Sparrow arched her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

The drunk reached out to grope her. "How much?"

"You could never afford me." Sparrow grabbed her small knife a plunged it into the man's ribs. He went down smiling.

"Like a true pirate, Lass." Sparrow smiled. They continued up the streets until they came to the Black Mermaid. It was a small, two story, building that had seen better days. The sign was peeling, and the door was rusted, but there were no drunks outside and no waste.

Sparrow stopped Sin before they went in. "Do I really look like my father?"

Sin laughed. "Only the facial structure. That hair must be from your mother, the eyes too?"

Sparrow shook her head. Her honey brown hair blew around her. "No one knows where the green eyes come from. Thanks, I was starting to think I looked like another Boot-Strap."

They walked in laughing.

The first thing Morgan noticed was the lack of people. The bar was dark, and smelled of brewing beer. She wrinkled her nose in distaste, she hated that smell. The bar was a deep ebony, and no one was tending it.

"Hello?" Morgan called.

Suddenly, a head popped out from behind the bar.

"Hello, may I help you?" The woman had long black hair and icy blue eyes. Her skin was rosy and her smile ravishing.

"I'm looking for a job."

"Can you clean?"

"Aye."

The woman nodded. "You're hired." She looked at Morgan. "And you?"

Sparrow walked forward and set her hands on the bar. The bar tender looked down and saw a ring on her right hand.

"I see. So, you be looking for Captain Jack then?"

"Aye."

"He not been seen in near 18 years. Though…that ring…"

"He gave it to my father, William Turner."

"I see." Sparrow's attention was caught by a painting behind the bar. A beautiful Mermaid with a black tail swam in slow, yet sad, circles in a ship graveyard. A small black stone was around the mermaid's neck. Morgan jumped lightly over the bar and continued to study it.

All sound was drowned out. She only heard the ocean. Waves beating against the rocks, whales singing, seals chirping, the silent sounds of the deep. She was entranced.

She felt a hand touch her shoulder and she jumped, spinning to face the bar tender. The world began to spin, and dissolve around them. She heard Sin cry her name, and then she heard a sea gull.

Morgan's eyes snapped opened. She gasped and inhaled seawater.

"Be easy, Morgan Sparrow Turner, you can breathe here." Morgan spun around and felt her mouth drop open. The mermaid from the painting swam before her.

"Where am I?"

"In time, you are in time."

Morgan stared at her, and realization dawned. "You're the bartender!"

"Aye, my name is Maryia, and I am the guardian of the Black Pearl."

"Jack's ship?"

"No, the namesake of it," she pulled a small chain off her neck and held it out so Morgan could see. A tiny black pearl hung on the end.

Morgan reached out for it.

"No! Don't!" Maryia screamed as Morgan grasped the Pearl.

Morgan felt a heat race through her. She convulsed in the water. Maryia swam around her, not knowing what to do.

Images flashed through Morgan's brain. Maryia and a merman, swimming together and guarding the pearl together. A ship, disappearing as the man on the bow waved to Maryia.

The images blurred together until she couldn't make headway of anything. Then, one image came out. Jack Sparrow on the bow of the Black Pearl, heading for Tortuga.

Morgan convulsed again and her eyes snapped open. Maryia stared at her.

"It has chosen you as its new guardian. What did you see?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow pulls into Tortuga in four days."

"SPARROW!" Morgan's eyes snapped open. She was lying on the floor of the bar, Sin and Maryia were leaning over her. Maryia reached down and pulled her to her feet.

"Things are needing cleaning."

"Aye," Sin was smart enough to figure out that Maryia wanted to talk to Morgan alone. Maryia took Morgan upstairs and sat her on a bed.

"Morgan?"

"Who was the merman?"

"My mate…" Maryia sighed. "He disappeared, and that has rendered me incapable of guarding the Pearl. He was taken, about four nights ago."

"Four nights ago? That's when my parents were taken!" Sparrow said softly. She felt something heavy resting in between her breasts. She reached up to her neck and pulled a fine black chain out. On the end was the Pearl.

"I was looking for Jack so he could help me get my parents back. What if he helps get your mate back too? What if the disappearances are connected and they're together?"

"Would you truly look for him?"

"Yes, Maryia, just tell me what you can about the Pearl."

"I can't, for I know nothing. I only know that it chose you as its new guardian, and it may give you the answers in time."

Morgan frowned. "Four days…"

Maryia nodded. "Stay here until the time to go is ripe, then go to Jack's ship. He'll fight you, just so you know."

"No he won't. I'm giving him a shipful of rum."


	4. 3 Captian Jack Sparrow Returns

Standards apply, blah blah blah

Sorry this one is so short; I'll make up for it! I promise!

CHAPTER 3: Captain Jack Sparrow Returns

Jack Sparrow stood on the bow of the _Pearl,_ a compass in one hand, rum in the other. He was disoriented, and felt a little woozy, but he didn't know if that was from the rum or not.

"Cap'n, there be Tortuga," Gibbs whispered.

"Now, mate, is it jus me, or does it look, dirtier…than usual?"

"No, sir, it's not just you."

"Hnnn…"

Jack continued to stare at Tortuga. His eyes were drawn to a small clipper ship in dock. The _Majestic_ was a small beauty. He frowned; it looked like it belonged to the Royal Navy. What would they be doin' in Tortuga?

His crew threw the anchor over the side and tied her to the dock. Jack walked down the gangplank and stood on the dock. He looked back at the _Pearl_.

"Be back, m'hearties."

He sauntered into to town.

"Ah, Tortuga, never a finer place…" he eyed the feces, "Well, it used to be cleaner, at least."

Sparrow watched as the _Pearl_ docked. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, beating against the Black Pearl, as Jack Sparrow walked past. She waited until she heard rowdy singing from the ship, and then she began to creep closer.

"Yo-Ho Yo-Ho A pirates life for me!" The crew bellowed. She winced. Their singing was terrible. She dropped onto the deck and slid behind a crate. She waited, wishing she had a pair of earplugs to drown out Cotton's off key parrot.

Jack was happy. He had a lovely woman on one side, and rum on the other.

"Easy with the goods, love," Jack said as the woman handled the sword Will gave him. She touched the skull and crossbones.

"You be Jack Sparrow then?"

"That's Captain Jack Sparrow, Darling," he smiled roguishly and took another swallow.

"Yes, Captain, and you have something of mine."

He opened one eye.

"Oh, really, and what would that be?"

"A small chest, filled with rubies."

"Ne'er seen it, love."

"Do not lie to me, sir!"

"Not lying, haven' even seen sunlight in awhile." He stood up and slammed the rum onto the table between them.

"Now, love, give me my sword."

"You took my rubies, I take the sword."

Jack tilted his head to one side and smiled. "Sorry love, but I think not." He drew a small dagger and lunged. She dodged him and took off. He growled.

"GIVE ME MY SWORD!" The pub went silent. Jack stood up, enraged. She unsheathed it and raised it above her head. She started to swing it down, when she hit the ground with a resounding THAWCK!

Gibbs stood behind her, a broken bottle in hand. He picked up the sword and handed it to Jack.

"Let's go, Cap'n."

Jack stepped over her body and looked down. "Many thanks, love."

Jack stepped onto his ship. The crew awaited him.

"Squawk! Drop the Anchor!"

"Cap'n, Cotton says we have a stowaway." Jack spun.

"A what?" His hand dropped to his sword and he drew it.

"Show yerself!"

He nearly dropped the sword when a girl leapt from behind a crate, long knife in hand. She moved with the grace of a well trained cat. Her honey-brown hair was pulled back and her green eyes pierced his. She lunged.

He raised his sword and the clang resounded about the ship. She stepped, and he responded. She thrust, he parried.

They fought, Jack continually driving her backwards. He pressed her against the bulkhead and pressed his sword into her throat.

"Get off of me ship."

He spun on his heel and headed for his quarters. The girl growled. He opened the door, and heard the sound of air whipping by a sword, and then her long knife was stuck in the wood next to his face.

He stared at it, shock written on his features. He spun.

"Turner!" he said in surprise.

The girl nodded. "My name is Morgan Sparrow Turner. My parents are missing. I need your help to get them back."

Jack stalked towards her. "Missing, say you? I see nothing in it for me."

"Oh, really?" Morgan sneered. "Did you see the _Majestic_ when you pulled into port?"

"Aye," Jack said.

"It's mine, and it's filled with rum. And I'll give you the ship. Just think, two ships, the makings of your own fleet. And you can introduce yourself as _Commodore_ Jack Sparrow."

He looked at her, and put his hand to his mouth.

"Rum, you say? I'll do it."


	5. 4 Face off on the Black Pearl

AN: So everyone knows, any future stories I post will be under the name 'Silent Cobra' as I changed it to coincide with the new rules (which is a very good idea I think). I hope you keep enjoying to story, and all standard disclaimers apply.

Silent Cobra

CHAPTER FOUR: Face off on the Black Pearl

Jack leaned against the bulkhead of the _Pearl_, silently watching Morgan. She handled herself around the pirates well, and had no fear of him.

That was what bothered him. She knew him so well from stories her daddy dearest had told her, and he knew nothing of her. He scowled heavily and shoved off from the wall and headed over to where she and AnnaMaria were talking. AnnaMaria fell silent as Jack drew even with them.

"Morgan, how old are you?"

"You know, _Jack_, it's an insult to ask a lady her age."

"A lady, perhaps, but ye not be a lady, would ya?"

Morgan growled at him. AnnaMaria looked between the two, and backed off wisely.

"Answer the damn question, love," Jack snarled softly.

"Seventeen, I turn eighteen in October."

Jack stared at her. "Seventeen…It's been almost eighteen years then…"

Morgan cocked her head to the side and looked at him.

"Since what?"

"Well, if I wanted you to know, I'd tell you, wouldn't I?"

Morgan shoved from the rail and got in his face.

"Listen up, _Jack_,-"

"That's **Captain** Jack, love," he snapped.

"Well, Captain Jack, you agreed to help me, remember?"

"Really, love, I only did it for the rum!"

SLAP!

Jack winced. Her slap hurt more than AnnaMaria's did.

"My parents speak very highly of you! And now you turn your back on them! You're despicable!"

Jack sighed. "Pirate."

She got right back in his face. "If you did do it for the rum, I'll leave the damn rum, take my ship, and leave."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

By now, the crew had gathered around them, watching the rather interesting events unfold. Morgan spun on her heel and headed towards the gangplank. Jack grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Don't you walk away from me, love."

She spit in his face. He wiped it away and shoved her against the rail. He pushed her back, so half her body was above the water, while her legs remained on the _Pearl. _A small black chain that she had hidden under her shirt slipped loose, and the necklace began to slide off her head.

"NO!"

Jack grabbed it before it fell. Morgan shoved him back and reclaimed the Black Pearl. She drew her lips over her teeth and snarled at him. He only had eyes for the tiny black stone.

He lurched to his feet and grabbed her solidly about the waist. He threw her over his shoulder and carried her to his cabin. AnnaMaria stared after them.

"Well, they seem to have a working relationship, at least."

Jack unceremoniously threw Morgan onto his bed. She scurried backwards until her back hit the bulkhead. Jack paced quickly, muttering to himself. Morgan watched him silently.

"Where did you get that?"

"Why should I tell you Jack?"

Jack slammed his hand onto the wood of his desk. "Damn it, Morgan! Now that the Pearl has resurfaced, it means that everyone will know, and everyone will be after you! JUST TELL ME!"

Morgan stared at Jack in shock. None of the things her parents had told her prepared her for 'Angry Jack'.

"At the Black Mermaid."

Jack grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. He held the Pearl lightly in his hands before dropping back down her shirt.

"Keep it hidden, let no one but me know you have it. Let's go." He dragged her from his cabin and out onto the deck.

"Gibbs, take a small crew over to the _Majestic,_ I want it repainted and renamed. AnnaMaria, prepare the ship for deployment. We don't need no rum, Morgan here has supplied it. Get food and shot. We'll be back in a bit."

He pulled her down the gangplank and the set off, back to the Black Mermaid.

Jack pushed the door open. Morgan slipped in ahead of him, and he shut the door after them. The bar was dim, and had a few more patrons than it did five nights ago. Maryia looked up.

"Ah, Sparrow, Jack, I knew you would come."

Jack was silent, staring at the painting behind the bar that so resembled his. Morgan tugged on his shirt and they walked forward. Sin walked in.

"Lass, long time no see. And Cap'n Jack as well."

"Sin, how ya been?" Jack asked in a monotone voice.

Sin looked at him. "You're sober, that's scary."

Jack scowled at him and looked back to Maryia, recognition dawned on his face.

"You!"

Morgan looked at him. "What?"

"You're the one that made the ocean stop!"

The bar went silent. Maryia nodded slowly. "It's been 18 years, Jack. I did that for a reason."

"You made me and me maties disappear for 18 years, and now the Pearl has resurfaced, and you think I should just go about my merry way, screwing sluts and drinking rum?" He was beside himself with rage.

"Jack, let me explain-"

"Explain to me why Morgan has the Pearl! Explain to me why we were buried in a ship graveyard for 18 bloody years! Explain to me why Will and Liz are gone!" They were whispering, so the bar patrons couldn't overhear them.

"Morgan has the Pearl because it chose her. I can't explain why I did what I did, it needed to be done. And I don't know why Will and Elizabeth are gone, along with my mate!"

"What are you?" Jack hissed. "The last time I was here-"

"The last time you were here was 19 years ago, Jack. Management changes. My predecessor was killed in a raid that the RN did about 16 years ago here. I had always guarded the Pearl, and when I was given this bar, the old bar tender told me that if your ring was ever shown to me, it meant times were changing. Morgan touched the Pearl and it showed her many things. It chose her, Jack. It chose her to protect it. I have no control over what the Pearl does. If you want answers, ask Morgan."

Jack took a deep breath. "Where do I start lookin', mate?"

Maryia smiled. "Thank you."

"You didn' answer me question."

"She doesn't know where to start," Sin said. Maryia, Jack, and Morgan looked up at him.

"And ye do, I suppose?" Jack asked.

"Aye, I do. Port Royal."

Maryia looked at the big black man. "Go with them Sin."

Sin looked at his employer. "You hired me ma'am, wouldn' wanna skip out on ye now."

Maryia shook her head and gave a sidelong look at Jack and Morgan.

"No, go with them, because you never know when two sparrows may need a crow to fight the eagle."

Sin nodded and went to stand with Jack and Morgan.

"Well, Jack Sparrow, another adventure then?" Maryia asked.

"Aye, and this time, we got the rum."


	6. 5 The Nebuchadnezzar Sails to Port Royal

CHAPTER FIVE: The Nebuchadnezzar sails to Port Royal

Jack, Morgan, and Sin sat around the same small table in the Black Mermaid. Two glasses of rum and one of water sat in front of them. Jack took a swig of rum and eyed Morgan's water.

"You really shouldn' drink the water here, love," he said.

"Why do you think I haven't touched it?" Morgan replied softly. Sin swished his rum around in his glass and set it down, looking at Jack.

"So, why is the Pearl so important?"

Jack set his glass down and scooted closer to the table. Morgan and Sin followed suit.

"There's a legend," he began to raise his hands and gesture, in the way Jack Sparrow tells stories, "a legend about a god. It's said that this god," he paused to drink the rum, "that this god betrayed the others by creating the Pearl. It supposedly holds his power."

"And why do pirates want it, Jack?" Morgan whispered.

"This god, love, was-"

Morgan cut him off. "The god of rum?"

Jack looked at her in surprise, then laughed. "Not quite, love. Though I wouldn mind meeting that god."

Morgan just smiled and shook her head.

"Anyway, the god helped create the universe; at least, that's what the guardians of it say."

Morgan glanced at the painting, then at Maryia. "Maryia and her mate?"

Jack shook his head, his beads thwacking him in the face. "No, the true guardians of it. They only appear when the Pearl's power is about to be unleashed."

Morgan nodded; Sin silently contemplated what Jack said.

"And, why do you want it?"

"I'm a pirate. I want it for the same reason that everyone else does."

Morgan sat back. "So we know little about the Pearl, but we know nothing about where my parents or Maryia's mate are." She looked at Sin. "How did you know to start in Port Royal?"

"Last night, while Maryia was sleeping, I was cleaning the passageway upstairs. I heard her talkin. She said that the answers lay in Port Royal, and to see the one she trusts. I was guessin that she meant you, Sparrow."

Morgan nodded. "There's only one person I trust in Port Royal."

"And that would be?" Jack asked, taking another drink.

"Commodore Kenwick Norrington."

Gibbs stared at what had once been the _Majestic_. She was now painted red and black, Jack's personal favorite colours, and the name _Majestic_ was being scraped from her side.

Cotton reached into a bucket and produced a small paint brush. He dipped it in a bucket of paint and reached up. He began to paint the new name on her side.

_N-e-b-u-c-h-a-d-n-e-z-z-a-r_. Cotton leaned back to allow Gibbs to get a good look at it. Gibbs nodded.

"Now, we just wait for Jack and Morgan to return, and leave this feces rotten Tortuga."

Jack, Morgan, and Sin stared at the _Nebuchadnezzar_. "That used to be the _Majestic_?" Morgan asked.

"Aye, love." Jack replied. He reached for a bottle of rum and handed it to her. She stared at it.

"You want me to drink it?"

"Nay, break it on her side, then we sail." Morgan looked at him. Then she remembered that they did this in Port Royal all the time. She walked to the _Nebuchadnezzar's _side and threw the bottle of rum against it. It shattered, spilling the drink down her sides.

Jack patted the _Nebuchadnezzar's _side. "Welcome to the pirates way of life."

The _Black Pearl_ and the _Nebuchadnezzar_ floated side by side a few miles from Tortuga. Jack was getting ready to board the _Nebuchadnezzar_ with Morgan and Sin, but he had some last minute instructions for his crew.

"Now, I want you to hide near the cliffs off Port Royal. Be on the constant lookout for one of us dropping from stone walls, maties. And if she has one scratch on her, I swear on pain of death, you will all face what Commodore Norrington puts so bluntly, a short drop and a sudden stop. Savvy?"

"AYE!" the crew shouted.

"Good." Jack jumped into the _Nebuchadnezzar _and cut the ropes between the ships.

"We'll be back, m'hearties!"

Jack walked up to where Morgan was steering the ship. He looked at her, then at the horizon.

"So, what do you reckon will happen to us in Port Royal?"

"I don't know. The first thing is docking. Security has been high recently."

"We need fake ID's then?"

"You and Sin will, they'll recognize me."

"Well, you're lookin at Mr. Smith, love. Or you can call me Smitty."

"Smitty?"

"Long story," Jack said.

"Ah. And you Sin?"

"Choose a name for me, lass."

"Mr. Smee. He was always my favorite in Peter Pan."

Sin and Jack laughed. The feel of the sea was lighthearted.

Morgan sighed. Jack leaned up against the railing and studied her.

"What's got ye down, love?"

"I have no idea what I'm about to face."

"That it?"

"No, I don't know where my parents are. I promised Maryia I would find her mate and I'm the guardian of the Pearl. It has not been a good week."

Jack smiled. "Don't fret, love. It'll get better."

Sin pointed ahead of them. "Look, Port Royal."

Morgan went silent and brought the ship into dock.

"It'll be four shillings to dock you ship, and your names." Morgan dropped the coins into the man's hands.

"Morgan Turner, Smitty, and Mr. Smee."

The man nodded and jotted it down.

"Name of the ship?"

"_Nebuchadnezzar_."

He nodded and Morgan, 'Smitty', and 'Mr. Smee,' walked off.

"They raised the prices," Jack stated. Morgan gave a brief nod.

"That would be Jake Norrington's fault. He wanted better ships so he jacked the prices."

"Ah."

They walked in silence until they reached a low garden wall.

"We have to climb over."

"I'll wait out here, lass. I dun like climbing overly much."

Morgan nodded as Jack gave her a boost onto the wall. Morgan scrambled over and waited as Sin gave Jack a boost. Jack dropped down next to her.

"Where are we, love?"

"Kenwick's garden." She looked up at a window on the third floor.

"Can you hit that window with a rock?"

"No problem, love." Jack scooped a small stone and threw it. The stone smacked into the window. The window opened a second later and Kenwick's head popped out. He looked down and saw Morgan. He gave a brief smile and closed the window.

"Why'd he leave?"

"He's coming down. Patience Jack."

"Patience, what's that?"

The door on their right opened and Kenwick walked out.

"Sparrow! And Jack." He nodded in Jack's direction.

"Ah, that would be _Commodore _Jack Sparrow. But call me Cap'n."

Kenwick shook his head. "Morgan, this arrived by post yesterday. It's addressed to you." Kenwick pulled a slim, yellow, letter from his breast pocket. He handed it to Morgan. She sat down on the small stone bench. Jack was looking at the fountain and the money in it. She opened it and began to read.

_Morgan Sparrow Turner,_

_We know where your parents are, and we know you have it. Bring it to Jack's Island in four days, and you may see them again. Be prepared to hand over what you carry._

_We hope you accept our invitation._

The letter wasn't signed. She let it slip through her finger tips.

"Jack was right…" she whispered. Jack swaggered up to her and picked up the letter. He looked at it, then shoved it in his pocket for later review.

"Well, love, I guess Sin was right. We'd best leave now." He turned to Kenwick.

"Thank ye very much." He boosted Morgan over the fence when Kenwick called his name.

Jack turned and looked at him. "What?"

"Take care of Morgan. She's everything to me. My wife died three years ago and Jake is a pompous ass who couldn't tell the stern of the ship from his own head. She'll do whatever it takes, just like her mother. And don't let her die, Jack Sparrow. I'm counting on you."

Jack nodded and prepared to leap the fence.

"Oh, and Jack."

He sighed and faced Kenwick again. "Yes?"

"You can keep the coins you took." Kenwick turned and walked into his house, leaving a very surprised Jack Sparrow to stare after him.

Morgan turned to Jack as soon as they were back on the _Pearl_. "You can't read, can you?"

"I'm a pirate, love. I've never felt the need to know how to read." He took out the letter. "Woulda helped with this though."

"I can teach you."

He glanced at her. "You would?"

"Aye, Jack."

"Will you read it to me, love?" He handed Morgan the letter and she read it to him in a soft voice.

"What does it mean, 'Jack's Island'?"

"The one Barbossa dropped me off on."

"The one where Mum burnt all the rum?"

"Right, love. And I don't intend to let it happen again.


	7. 6 A Lesson in Letters

CHAPTER SIX: A Lesson in Letters

Morgan sat next to Jack in his cabin. He was staring at her hands, which held a slip of paper with a letter on it.

"What is this?"

"er…Q"

"Good. This."

"A?"

"This is an R, Jack, this is an A," she held up another slip with the letter A on it.

"R, right, got it." Morgan smiled and showed another.

"ah….I don't know."

"S, like a snake."

"S, S, S."

"Yes, S."

Jack sighed. This was really boring. They had been sitting in his cabin for the past two hours, looking at slips of paper.

"You're doing fine, Jack. These things take time." She went through the rest of the alphabet and then started at the beginning again.

"A, B, C….Q,R,S….X,Y,Z" Jack completed the alphabet. Morgan smiled briefly.

"There, you now know the alphabet. Tomorrow we'll start with words."

"We're done for today then, love?"

"Aye."

"Good." Jack reached across Morgan and grabbed his rum. Morgan just laughed, patted him on the head as one would a dog, and walked out of the cabin.

Jack put his feet up on his desk and stared at the letter addressed to Morgan. He could read the letters, but not make heads or tails of the words. He sighed and angrily crushed the letter into a ball, and then stalked out of his cabin.

Captain Jake Norrington of the Royal Navy was angry. He was livid. He was just down right pissed off. His hat was askew and his hair was a mess. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Father, how could you let Sparrow escape?"

"Morgan?"

"No! Jack!"

"Then use the name Jack, or Captain Sparrow."

"Fine, but why did you let him escape?"

"He was helping Morgan!"

Jake slammed his hand onto the desk between them. "And that is good enough reason to let him go?"

"Well, I don't see you chasing after her." Kenwick stated bluntly. Jake looked as if he were about to scream.

"She betrayed her mother country by joining with Captain Sparrow."

"So, you're going to hang her than?"

Jake went silent.

"You have no proof that she has been branded, so no proof that she is a pirate."

"But right now, she sails under a pirate flag, and they all deserve to die."

"So, one bad deed is enough to hang a girl?"

"Yes!"

"Jake, you want glory, go after her. Be the hero."

"My ship is gone."

"That was your own fault. You underestimated the speed of the drug vessels and decided that using the _Majestic_ would be too easy. You truly are a fool."

Jake opened and closed his mouth, looking very much like a fish.

"What did the letter to her say?"

"I don't know, Jake. I don't delve into other people's privacy. I only know that her parents went missing, and now she's looking for them."

Jake looked at his father, a confused expression on his face.

"Her parents went missing….hmmm…"

Morgan ran her fingers through her hair. She had never felt dirtier in her entire life. It wasn't that she minded so much, it was that her clothes stunk of Tortuga. She would have rather stripped naked than wear them a second longer.

Unfortunately, none of the pirates were willing to let her borrow any clothes. She was about ready to scream.

"Sparrow! Come ere!" Jack called. His head was poking out of his cabin. She sighed and walked towards him. He opened the door so she could fit inside. He turned and prepared to leave.

"The clothes on the bed are yours, love. Chuck your old ones over the side." He shut the door. She smiled, hoping that the clothes wouldn't stink of Tortuga. She lifted a billowy white shirt and realization hit her.

They were Jack's clothes.

She removed her filth-ridden shirt and tossed it on the floor. She pulled Jack's over her head. It was a little large, but it didn't smell bad. She picked up the next article of clothing he had left. Pants.

She kicked her trousers off and pulled the new ones on. They were way big, but she used the sash he had left to tie them up. She pulled her old boots off and slid into an older pair of Jack's, but still in better condition than hers had been.

She looked at her reflection in the small window in Jack's cabin. She cut a piece of the sash off and used it to tie her hair back. She smiled. Much better.

THREE DAYS LATER

Morgan ran up to Jack.

"We're not going to make it in the time allowed, are we?"

"Fraid not, love. The winds have not been with us, it's been hard sailing." Morgan sat down hard, right in the middle of the deck. Jack kneeled down next to her.

"Easy love, everything will work out. I can kinda read now, that in itself is a miracle."

Morgan smiled and stood up. "You're right. I'll go back to the _Nebuchadnezzar_ now."

"Sin has her under control. Today was the fourth day since the letter. As soon as we see the island, me and you are goin' ashore."

Morgan nodded. "If I'm staying on the _Pearl, _where do I sleep?"

Jack looked up at her. "My cabin, love. Won't be usin it tonight anyway."

Morgan arched an eyebrow at him and shook her head, smiling.

"You never give up, do you?"

NEXT DAY

"Cap'n, there it is!" Gibbs yelled, pointing off the starboard side. Jack's eyes narrowed dangerously as they approached the island.

"Morgan!" he yelled. Morgan jogged up the steps and stood next to him.

"That's it, then?"

"Aye, love. C'mon, we go ashore."

Jack and Morgan climbed into the small rowboat as it was being lowered into the water. The both grabbed a set of oars and began to row to the island.

It took only minutes for the small boat to touch bottom. Jack jumped out and pushed the boat out of the water. Morgan climbed out and sniffed the air.

"Do you smell that?"

"Smells like rotten bodies, love."

Morgan's face paled. She drew her long knife and headed into the burned shrubbery. Jack followed, keeping a watchful eye all around them.

"Jack, look!"

Jack turned and saw a dead goat. It was swollen and bloated and it stunk to high heaven. Morgan wrinkled her nose and took another step closer.

"Look, love, another letter."

Nailed into the goat's head was another paper parchment, again addressed to Morgan. She plucked it off and opened it.

She read aloud.

'_Morgan Sparrow Turner'_

_You have failed the first test. Come to the far side of Tortuga in seven days, or your parents will resemble this goat. Be prepared to hand over what you carry._

_We hope you accept our invitation.'_

"Short and to the point, ain't they?" Jack asked as he took the letter from her.

"They know we have the Pearl."

"I know, love. And we need to get rid of them."

"Jack, do you think they knew I would find the Pearl? Is that why my parents were taken?"

"I don't know, love, I just don't know."

AN: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it. Standards apply. Morgan is mine, tho. And the plot.


	8. 7 Jake Norrington

AN: This will be a chapter on Jake's history, and his mother.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Jake Norrington

Jake stood alone on the terrace of Port Royal. His wig lay in his hands and he allowed his chestnut hair to fall freely around him. His jacket was unbuttoned and his shirt open. The Royal Navy would be leaving the next day to search for the Turners.

He sighed and pulled his hair back. He decided to forgo the wig, mainly because it itched something awful. He rebuttoned his shirt and jacket and set off down the stairs.

Lt. Gillette was waiting for him. Jake sneered disdainfully to himself. The old man was a fool, and had never risen above Lt. In fact, he was still his father's Lt.

"Captain Norrington, you're father wishes to speak with you."

Jake nodded and walked past the sniveling man. Kenwick stood next to the _Dauntless II_, the ship Jake would be taking out. A small fleet of ships had already pulled out of the port and now awaited Captain Jake Norrington.

"Yes, father?"

"You became Captain at a very young age, Jake."

"I know, father."

"If you find them, you will be promoted to Commodore."

Jake smirked.

"Do not get complacent, Captain. If you fail, you get stripped of rank."

"But, Father!"

"Do not argue with me, Captain. Just do your job, and you will be rewarded. Fair winds and calm seas."

"And you, Commodore."

Jake turned and walked aboard the _Dauntless II_, mulling over the words his father had said.

In fact, the only reason Jake was a Captain was because of Gillette. The man had watched him since he was born, near 18 years ago. Jake was born a few months before Morgan had been.

But he acted much younger. He acted nothing like Marja, his late mother.

Kenwick Norrington had met Marja Dylan a few weeks after Elizabeth had declared her love for William. He was still slightly miffed from that, but he was healing slowly. Marja was the daughter of a farmer from England. They had sneaked over to the Caribbean in search of new lands.

Marja had long, wavy blonde hair and hazel eyes. Kenwick met her the day she arrived in Port Royal. She had been walking alone, obviously lost, when he spotted her. He walked out and offered to give her an escort.

She accepted. After he led her home, they began to see each other on a regular basis. She became good friends with William and Elizabeth, and that kept the relationships between the Turners and Norrington good.

A few days later, Marja discovered she was pregnant. Kenwick proposed and the two were married. Kenwick had never been happier.

Nine months later, Jake was born. He had a small head of chestnut hair and a pair of blue eyes. Six months after he was born, Morgan was. Marja and Elizabeth would get together and watch the babies, while Kenwick was sailing or Will was making swords.

As the children grew, so did Marja's love for both. They would constantly play Royal Navy and Pirates. Jake was always the RN, and Morgan always a pirate, and Morgan always won.

Years past, and the children grew distant. Marja and Elizabeth talked with one another, comforting each other when husbands were away. Then, on the day Jake turned 15, Marja fell ill.

Nothing like this illness had ever been seen in Port Royal. Her skin turned yellow, and she became weak. Kenwick returned from cruise duty to see to her. He never left her side.

Each day she got progressively worse. On the day before she died, the Turner's came to see her. Elizabeth sobbed into her shoulder, Will presented her with a small dagger for protection, but Morgan gave the greatest gift.

Marja had not returned to the sea since the time Jake was born. As Morgan drew next to the sick woman's bed, she pulled a vial from her breast pocket. A small vial of seawater. Morgan uncapped it and stuck it next to Marja's face.

"So you will always smell the ocean," she had whispered. Marja broke down then and for the first time since she had fallen ill, she cried.

The next day, when Kenwick went to fetch Marja's breakfast, she was dead. They took her out on Kenwick's clipper ship, _Marja's Memories_, and watched as she sank beneath the waves.

Kenwick wrenched himself out of his memories. He found himself staring at the painting done of Marja soon after they had been married. She was so happy and full of life.

Kenwick touched the painting and sighed. He missed her terribly. Jake had become a Lt. soon after her death. Jake threw himself into his work, and grew distant from his father.

Kenwick then began to spend more and more time with Morgan. He helped her break her young stallion, Brazen.

Kenwick sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Before, Morgan would come over nearly every day and just sit with Kenwick, talking about sailing, pirates, and anything else they could think of. Kenwick closed his eyes and sat back in his chair. He smiled grimly. Jake may hate pirates, but he was always absorbed by Morgan's tales of Jack Sparrow.

"Jack Sparrow doesn't exist," a twelve year old Jake said. Marja smiled at Elizabeth, who sat behind Morgan. Morgan glared at Jake.

"Does too! He and my parents are good friends!"

"Then why doesn't he ever come and visit, Morgan?" Jake snapped.

Morgan leaned forward. "Because he's off looking for treasure, that's why."

"Who would rather spend time looking for treasure than with your parents?"

"A pirate." Morgan said softly.

"One day, I'm going to rid the Caribbean of pirates, especially of Jack Sparrow"

Morgan scoffed. "I'd like to see you try."

"Just watch, Morgan, I will, I promise you."

Kenwick frowned to himself. Jake had made that promise, but he never acted on it. Perhaps that was what he planned to do on this outing, rid the Caribbean of pirates.

Kenwick stood and looked out of his window into the port, where the _Dauntless II _was leaving. He looked into the sky.

"Fly faster Sparrow, the Eagle has left the nest."

AN 2: Sorry it's so short, but I figured some light needed to be shed on Jake. Sorry for the delay. Ta maties.


	9. 8 In Which a Problem Arises

CHAPTER EIGHT: In Which a Problem Arises

Jake stood on the bow of the _Dauntless II_ and stared at Tortuga. He made a face. The town was disgusting. From here he could smell it, and it sickened him. Gillette walked up to him.

"Captain, we are ready to leave. And if I may say so-"

Jake cut him off. "I did not ask for you to come on this mission, Gillette. I didn't want you to come at all, in fact. But you weaseled your way on board."

"Captain!"

"Shut up and stay in your cabin, that is an order."

"You do not command me!"

Jake spun. "I am the Captain of this ship, and you will do what I ask you to!" Jake slammed his hand onto the railing. "Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Gillette muttered weakly. Jake spun and headed to the small boat that would take him and ten others to Tortuga.

"Heave to!" Someone yelled. Jake held on to the sides of the boat as it rocked down the side and hit the water. They cut the ropes and the oarsmen took up rowing. Tortuga grew closer with every row. And the stench grew stronger.

Jake made a face as the boat hit the dock. The stench was almost unbearable. He climbed out of the ship and waited for everyone to join him.

"You four stay here and guard the ship. This is a pirate town, and I don't want anyone of them to touch my boat."

"Yes, Captain." Jake turned and headed up the dock with the six others. They walked through the streets, avoiding getting trampled and hit with various bottles of rum. They continued walking until they reached a small pub in the back of the town. Jake smiled.

It was the exact one that Will had told him about.

The Black Mermaid.

Morgan was curled into a tight ball on the _Nebuchadnezzar. _She was sound asleep. Her hand curled around the Pearl and clenched it tightly. It was hot to the touch. She stirred fitfully and rolled over.

The Black Pearl began to glow.

Jake kicked to door to the Black Mermaid open. He looked around. A woman was behind the bar, staring at the seven men from the Royal Navy.

"How may I help you…men?" She asked softly. Jake strode forward.

"What is your name?"

"Mary," the black haired woman said coldly, "And you never answered my question."

"I'll be asking the questions, _Mary_," he sneered. Mary nodded.

"Then ask them."

"Jack Sparrow."

"What about him?" Mary asked, her eyes darting towards the six men behind Norrington.

"Have you seen him?"

"He hasn't been seen in near 18 years."

"Oh, is that so? Because he was at Port Royal a few days ago, and I thought maybe he had pulled through here as well." Jake placed his hands on the bar. "You see, _Mary_, Jack Sparrow has something very dear to me, and I want it back."

"What does he have?"

"You know perfectly well _who_ he has, Mary, now tell me where they are!"

"I can't."

"You can't, or you won't?" Jake drew his sword and held it to one side.

"I won't then. Morgan won't go back with you."

Jake cocked his head to one side. "Why is that? Does she _love _Jack Sparrow?"

Mary drew her lips over her teeth and snarled. "She doesn't like you."

"She will, oh she will." Jake drew the sword upward and shoved it into her throat.

"Sweet dreams, _Maryia_."

Morgan screamed. She heard the door to her cabin fly open, and then felt a pair of strong hands shake her.

"Lass! Wake up!"

Her eyes flew open and she looked into the face of Sin. "Ring the bell, Sin; I need to get to Jack, now."

Sin nodded and flew out of the door. She heard the bell ring, and the bell from the _Pearl_ answered it. She grabbed her boots and slipped into them, then placed the Pearl under her shirt.

She ran out of her cabin and looked towards the _Pearl_. It was brought around and then it dropped anchor next to the _Nebuchadnezzar._ A boarding plank was dropped between the ships and Morgan ran up onto the larger ship.

"Where's Jack?" she asked AnnaMaria.

"The Cap'n is in his cabin, and he don't wish to be disturbed."

Morgan snarled and shoved past her. She wrenched the door to Jack's cabin open and stormed in, then slammed the door shut behind her.

Jack was sprawled on his bed, his hat resting in the corner and his boots still on. He had a piece of parchment and a quill and had been writing small words. Morgan would have smiled if she wasn't so terrified.

"Jack, Jack! Wake up!" She shook him gently. He grunted softly and rolled over. He was out cold. Morgan frowned. He needed to wake up, now.

She leaned over his face. "Jack! JACK!"

Still no response. Morgan gave a small growl. He rolled over again. Morgan decided to throw all caution to the wind. She leaned down and kissed him.

His eyes flew open and he had a sword at her throat in a matter of seconds.

"Dun do that, love."

"You enjoyed it," she sat on the edge of his bed. "We have a problem."

He looked at her. "Really? And what would that problem be?"

"Maryia is dead."

Jack was suddenly very awake. He sat up slowly and stared at her.

"How do ye know this, love?"

"I was asleep in my cabin, and I think I had a dream. Maryia was killed, and Jack," she paused and looked at him. He gestured for her to continue. "The Pearl was glowing."

Jack nodded slowly. "Hat," he said curtly. Morgan tossed it to him. He stood up and dragged her out onto the deck.

"Gather around, maties." He waited while the crew gathered around them. "Morgan and I have to make a stop in Tortuga. I want the rest of you to go to the far side of the island and wait for us there. One scratch…" he said warningly.

"Aye, Cap'n, we know. You'll kill us." The crew chorused. Jack nodded.

"We'll be takin' the _Nebuchadnezzar._"

Jack and Morgan dropped onto the smaller ship. Sin loomed above them.

"I'll be comin' with ye."

Jack nodded. "Thought you would."

They cut the ropes connecting the ships and set off. Jack turned to Morgan.

"When we get to Tortuga, we'll get you a crew, a small crew, but a crew none the less."

Morgan nodded and looked into the horizon.

"Oh, please let me be wrong…"

AN: Yeah, I know, short, but this chap is sorta an interlude where the plot gets thicker than molasses!


	10. 9 Introducing Monsieur Twiggy

AN: Okay, about the name _Nebuchadnezzar _I just thought it sounded piratey and it's a cool name. thanks for all the reviews mates! I really appreciate it!

Silent Cobra

CHAPTER NINE: Introducing Monsieur Twiggy

Morgan gripped the rail of the ship tightly. Her knuckles were turning white. They were pulling into Tortuga. She looked at the other ships, then turned back and froze.

The _Dauntless II_ floated about twenty feet away. "Oh, no."

She spun and ran to Jack. "Jack, look at that ship! LOOK!"

He turned and looked at it. He read the name on the side.

"_Dauntless II_?" He frowned. "Wasn't the _Dauntless_ Norrington's ship?"

"Yes, and that must be Jake's new ship. He's in Tortuga, Jack."

Jack sighed. "This is not good."

Jake leaned over Maryia's body and cleaned his sword on her clothing. The bar patron were staring at him in shock.

"You two," he said, gesturing to his men, "Guard the door. You, give me rope."

A length of rope was handed to him. Jake turned to the patrons.

"Please sir, we are not doin' nuthin!"

"Ah, but you see, you've witnessed what has gone on, so…"

Jake manhandled the few patrons into a corner and tied them together. "Now, don't try to escape, it won't work."

He walked over to his men, ignoring the cries of the patrons. "Torch it."

"Yes sir." Torches were lit and tossed into corners. The patrons began to scream.

Jake turned. "May God have mercy on your souls." With that, they turned and left.

Morgan froze. She and Jack had been walking down the street when she saw black smoke curling into the air.

"Jack…isn't that around the Black Mermaid?"

"Aye, let's run love."

They took off, but all too soon, Morgan saw something that made her slam on the brakes. Jack stopped and turned towards her.

"What is it, love?"

She grabbed the front of his shirt and positioned him in front of her, back to the street. He looked down at her oddly.

"It's Jake," she whispered.

He nodded and stayed there. She watched as he passed by them with hardly a second glance. Then, her heart sank again, Gillette walked up to Jake.

"Sir, a pirate ship has just pulled into port."

"Really? Well, did you see who was on it?"

"No sir. A large black man is swabbing the decks as we speak."

"Thank you, Gillette, you came in handy." They continued towards the docks. Morgan and Jack took a breath of relief.

"Jack Sparrow! That you?"

Jack spun, hand on his sword. A small man with scraggily black hair, tanned, Spanish looking skin, and bright green eyes walked up to them.

"It is you! Why, I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Eighteen years, mate."

"Who the girl?"

"Captain Morgan of the _Nebuchadnezzar._"

"Pleasure to meet ya, Cap'n. The name's Twiggy, Monsieur Twiggy." He bowed.

"Twiggy?" Jack said. Twig turned back to Jack. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything, Mate, just name it."

"Find a crew willin to sail under Morgan. Meet us back at docks."

"Alrighty, Jack." Twiggy sauntered off.

"Is his real name Twiggy?"

"No, his true name is Roberto Perciful Francis Chiante Albus Durnay." Jack said.

"Ah, Twiggy's better."

The Black Mermaid came into sight. It was a crumbling mass of ruins.

"Oh no!"

"Bloody Hell."

They stared at the ruins. "There went our source," Jack said sourly. They stepped carefully into the smoldering mess. Nothing was left.

"Damn," Morgan muttered. She felt halfway responsible.

"Don't feel bad, love. It's not your fault."

Morgan kicked a charred piece of wood. "So now what, Jack?"

"We go meet Twig, love, and figure it out from there."

They walked onto the docks. Jack waved a finger at Twig. Twiggy bounded over to them, hyperactive and excited.

"Found ya a good crew, Cap'n, all willing to sail for a decent price."

Morgan frowned. "What price?"

"Rum, Cap'n, rum."

Morgan burst out laughing despite everything that had been going on lately.

"We got plenty of that, Twig," Jack said. "Now, introduce us to Morgan's new crew."

The three of them stepped onto the ship and were greeted by a highly agitated Sin.

"Lass, these men be stinking up the place."

"Don't worry Sin, we'll clean 'em up later." Sin nodded and leaned against the bulkhead.

Twiggy bounced on his feet. "Line up, ye slow pokes!" he shouted, the men he had gathered lined up.

"Alright Cap'n, there's me, o'course," he swept his arm back in a deep bow. He pointed to a small blond man. "And that there be Pegleg, and the bloke next to him is One-Eyed Willie. The tall guy next to Willie is Romanov, and the short skinny one is James C. Hook (Jimmy for short). Then there be Bartholomew, and the others…well, 'fraid I can't remember the others."

"I'm your captain, boys, Morgan." She gestured to Jack. "I'm sure most of you already know him, Commodore (call me Captain) Jack Sparrow."

"We got a problem, boys. Get the ship ready for sailing. We leave, now. Avoid the RN at all costs…for now."

AN: Okay, I know this took me forever to get out, but I had a nasty little virus called writer's block, and I finally got this chap out, tho I don't like it that much, so I may change it later. If anyone can come up with more pirate names, please leave them in the review. I'm really sorry this took so long, but when school started everything shot to hell real quick like. So, I'll try to update on a more regular basis, but I can't promise much.

Thanks for all the reviews.

Silent Cobra


	11. 10 The Pirate Called Dawg

Chapter 10: The Pirate Called Dawg

Morgan stood by herself on the bow of her ship. She stared into the horizon, but wasn't really seeing anything. She heard the calls of her new crew behind her, shouting happily to one another, glad to be underway.

She frowned and looked at the sun.

"Damn it all to Davy Jones' Locker!" She snarled.

"What is it, lass?"

"We're not going to make the deadline."

The deadline loomed in her mind. The thought of what would happen to her parents if they missed another one haunted her. She shivered in the setting sun. Sin stood quietly behind her, letting her vent silently.

Uneven footsteps approached. She turned. "Jack."

"So, you ready, darling?"

"Aye." She sighed dejectedly. Jack patted her on the shoulder.

"No worries, love, we'll find them." Jack, Morgan, and Sin climbed into the small rowing boat and Morgan turned to address Twig.

"Any sign of the RN, ring the bell and sail like hell; we'll find you guys later."

"Aye, Cap'n." Morgan nodded and they were lowered into the gentle sea.

Sin took up the oars and rowed to the rocky face of Tortuga. The boat bottomed out on a small alcove of beach. They climbed from the boat and headed into the dense forest. Morgan took point, with Jack covering her left flank, and Sin covering the right.

She stalked silently and kept a sharp eye out. As they proceeded deeper, the smell of rotten fish invaded their nostrils.

"God, I hate that smell…"Morgan muttered.

"Do ye smell what lays under it though, lass? Bodies…rotting bodies."

Morgan nodded grimly. She had smelled those too, but she wanted to block the fact that those could be her parent's bodies out of her mind.

"What in the name of hell is that…thing?" Jack hissed in her ear, pointing to a body nailed to a tree.

From the waist up, it was a human, its skin was a little green, but not from death, it had been the natural color. Long black hair hung limply around its face.

But then they saw the lower half. Where there should have been legs, there was a fin. A single, strong fin. The smell of rotting humans and fish poured from it.

Morgan covered her nose.

"It is, was, Maryia's mate," she whispered. They stepped close and Jack pointed out another letter. Morgan peeled it off and scanned it quickly.

"It's signed…"

"By who, love?"

"The Pirate Called Dawg."

They looked at each other. "I ain't never heard of a "Dawg" before," Jack said.

Morgan's face clouded with anger and she tore the letter in half.

"Who in the hell does this 'Dawg' think he is? What right does he have to take my life away!"

Morgan spun away from the two men, who quickly shared a worried glance. "Morgan-"

She shoved Jack's hand away. "Leave me alone!" And she took off into the forest.

"MORGAN!" Sin bellowed after her. Jack touched the black man's arm.

"Stay here, try to alert one of the ships, I'll get her back."

Morgan shot through the brush. Branches scratched her face and the fingers of trees tore at her hair. She had dropped the letter somewhere, but she didn't really care. She didn't care about much.

She came to a cliff and stopped. She tore the Pearl from her neck.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" she screamed at it, tears of anger and frustration streaming down her face.

"MORGAN!"

She cocked her arm back to throw it to the depths when a pair of arms grabbed her from behind and flung her on the ground.

"Ompf!"

She looked up at Jack, who had her pinned down.

"If you did that, love, it would be very, very, bad." She glared at him.

"I want nothing to do with it anymore."

"Love, I know. But if you got rid of it, well…I'm not really sure what would happen, but let's say we don't really want to know either."

"Let me up, Jack."

"Do ye promise not to get rid of it?"

"Aye," she muttered wearily. He sat back on his heels and she scurried out from under him. She leaned against a tree and watched him wearily. He pulled the two pieces of the letter out and held them together.

"It says…'Captain Morgan Sparrow Turner, I regret to inform you that once again, you have failed. I will give you one month to gather clues, then we will talk again. Signed, The Pirate Called Dawg.'"

He looked at her.

"You've gotten better."

"Sometimes I try, love."

Morgan stood. "I'm sorry you had to chase me."

"No problem love, I enjoy a good hunt."

She arched an eyebrow at him and shook her head.

"We should head back." Jack nodded and stood next to her. They walked back to Sin in silence.

Sin was leaning against a tree, staring into the sunset. Jack and Morgan joined him quietly and watched the fiery colors arch across the sky.

Morgan sighed.

"I guess we should head back then."

"Aye," Sin said, his eyes locked on the horizon. They walked to the boat and were preparing to get in when a bell sounded from the ships.

"The Royal Navy!" Morgan snarled.

"Always a step ahead of us," Jack added grimly.

Sin pointed at the boat that dropped from the _Dauntless II_. "We got company."

Morgan shoved the Pearl back down her shirt. She spun. "Quick! Back into the forest. We'll hide there!"

"What about the boat?"

"LEAVE IT!"

The three of them took off towards the forest. As soon as they hit the tree line, the slowed slightly. Morgan suddenly stopped.

"What is it, love?" Jack hissed at her.

"You two keep going, I'll catch up with you later." She grabbed onto the lowest tree branch and swung into the trees. Jack nodded and he and Sin took off.

Morgan waited.

Jake stepped out onto the island. A small rowing boat was next to a tree. He knelt down next to it.

"Odd…I could swear this is from the _Majestic_…"

He stood.

"Where are they? She said they would be here!" He snapped.

"She said they would be here!" Morgan froze as Jake said that. Someone told them that they were going to be on this island? Her face contorted. The only people who knew that were her and Jack's crew…

A mutiny. She stayed as still as possible and resisted the urge to throw a coconut at Jake's head.

Jake fumed, throwing insults at his crew. They climbed back into the boat and set off again. She waited until they became a black spot on the horizon before dropping to the ground.

"All right guys, come out."

Jack and Sin walked out.

"What'd he say, lass?"

Morgan shook her head. "Later, we have to get back to the ships."

Jack arched an eyebrow. She was hiding something, playing things close to the vest. Morgan smiled mysteriously at him and continued to the beach.

They climbed into the boat and Sin began to row. Morgan stayed silent as she stared at the now nearly dark sky.

Jack pulled a lantern out of the boat bottom and lit it. He held it up. Soon, in the distance, was an answering lantern.

The _Pearl_ glided to them. Ropes were lowered and the boat was hauled up. Morgan clamored out and looked around.

"We have one month."

"And then what?" Gibbs asked.

"And then we wait." She looked skyward. "And then we wait."


	12. 11 A Dead Man's Tale

Chapter 11: A Dead Man's Tale

Morgan stalked the length of her ship. She was extremely agitated and her crew knew it. They avoided her, watching silently. She gripped the rail and looked into the water.

"Damn," she whispered. She spun and walked back to her cabin. She flopped on the bed then jumped back up immediately.

"Just how in the hell am I supposed to gather clues?" She stormed back out of her cabin and paced the deck again.

"Cap'n, there something wrong?"

"What? Oh, Twiggy, not really…"

Twig arched an eyebrow at her.

"Oh alright! Yes! I have a problem, a very large problem and I hate it!"

"We'll listen, Cap'n."

She turned to the pirate who spoke. He had shoulder length brown hair and a red bandana around his head.

"Which one are you?"

"Gunnar, Cap'n."

"You really want to listen?"

"Aye!" The crew called out to her.

"Alright then…"

She leaned against the wall.

"Have any of you heard of a pirate who goes by the name of 'Dawg'?"

"Dawg?"

The crew looked at each other.

"Ne'er heard of 'em." Gunnar said. "Why?"

"Because he took something from me, and I'll be damned if he gets to keep it."

"Something very important to ya?"

"Extremely important, Twig."

Morgan looked up at the crow's nest. "He gave me a month to gather clues, and I have no idea where to start."

"Why don't you go to Tortuga? I'm sure someone there has heard of this Dawg you speak of."

Morgan nodded. She glanced back. In the distance, she could see the _Black Pearl_. She turned back to her crew.

"I want to pull farther away from Commodore Sparrow, he shan't know about this…trip."

The crew bustled around, making the arrangements. They turned slightly and began to head for Tortuga. She sighed and looked at the dirty city.

"I'm really growing sick of that place."

Morgan walked down the streets of Tortuga, ignoring the shouts of men, the cat calls of women, and the all around ruckus of the place. She came to a busy tavern and shrugged. "Good of place as any to start, then."

She walked in. Women were crowded with the men, clearly taking part in pleasures Morgan had no wish of taking part in. She approached the bar.

"Now, what's a pretty one like you doing in a place like this?" The bartender asked her.

"I'm looking for information."

"Well, that's not free now is it?" He smiled toothlessly at her. "I mean, ye could be an agent from the Royal Navy."

She arched an eyebrow. "Is that what you think?"

"I keep my thoughts to myself."

"They must not be that numerous then."

The bartender laughed. "Oh, I like you!"

"Good," she drew her cutlass and held it at her side. "So, information."

"What are ye looking for?"

"Anything about a pirate called…"

"Called what?"

"What is your price, you said yourself information isn't free."

"Aye, I did. Well, I have been…particularly lonely lately…"

He put his hand on her shoulder, twisting his fingers in her hair. Her cutlass came up and she pinned it against his fingers.

"You don't let go, you'll be havin' some major problems," she hissed. He dropped his hand, glaring at her.

"I won't pay your price, but I'll tell you mine. You guide me to someone who might know this Dawg, or you'll die. Simple as that."

He glared at her. "There, that man in the corner, the one with the eye patch. He was captain of a well known ship, but a mutiny recently took place, and they left him in the water. He swam here. He may know this Dawg you speak of."

Morgan stood. "Thank ye very much." She sheathed the cutlass and walked to the man in the corner. He looked up at her.

"I don't want entertained, girl." His voice was harsh.

"I don't plan on providing you entertainment. I want information."

He glanced at her. "Who are you?"

"Captain Morgan Sparrow of the _Nebuchadnezzar_."

"Sparrow?"

It was then she realized she had purposely left off her surname.

"Aye, Sparrow."

"You Jack's daughter?"

"Not even close. Just liked the name."

"Ah, well, Ms. Sparrow, buy me some rum, and I'll see what I can do for ye."

Morgan placed the rum in front of him.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Andrew, I was captain of the _Morning Star_, but my so called crew turned her over to the RN. Some guy named Jake."

Morgan choked on her rum. "Norrington?"

"Aye, that be the one."

"He's a bastard."

"Aye, that he is." Andrew took a sip of his rum and looked at her.

"You know what they call me, Sparrow?"

"No?" She was confused.

"A Dead Man. I lost me ship, so I must be dead. So, what is the information you look for? What can a dead man tell you?"

"Have you ever heard of a pirate who calls himself 'Dawg'?"

"Dawg? Aye, I've heard of him. Nasty creature he is. Originally sailed the East Indies, but came here about three years ago. They describe him as the nastiest captain since Barbossa. They say he got himself a pardon from the king, became a 'privateer for the King,' because he thought it sounded classier than 'pirate.'" Andrew took a drink.

"Now, Dawg is all about class. He only sails the nicest ship and only takes the biggest booty. He'll only sleep with the prettiest girls, and cuts the tongues out of all his crew members so they can't talk behind his back."

"Sounds like a nice guy," Morgan said dryly. Andrew laughed.

"If he's after you, my advice is never go unarmed. He may be into class, but he'll work with whoever, and whatever, to get exactly what he wants. Be warned."

Morgan nodded. "You are no dead man, Andrew. Do ye want to come aboard my ship? We can hunt the _Morning Star _down and you can return to it, with a new crew."

Andrew looked at her and sighed. "Don't know what good it'll do, girl. Me life is over as a pirate. I'm too old."

"Never to old, Andrew." She stood. "I'll look for your ship. If I find it, I'll take it."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Oh, but I have some issues to straighten out with Jake Norrington, so I can keep my promise. You'll have you ship back, Andrew. I swear on pain of death." She shoved some gold into his hands.

"See ye around, Andrew. Fair winds and calm seas."

"Same to you, Captain, same to you."


	13. 12 Trust in a Pirate

Chapter 12: Trust in a Pirate

Morgan turned and walked down the dark streets of Tortuga. Men leered at her and made rude gestures with their hands. She ignored them and continued walking.

"_And cuts the tongues out of his crew members so they can't talk behind his back…"_ Andrew's words ran through her head as if in circles. She walked to the docks, almost blindly.

She climbed wearily on board and glanced around. The crew was lined up, silent, staring at her. She was confused. What were they doing? She had given them permission to go down to the village.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Commodore's orders, Lass," Sin said quietly. Morgan felt the blood drain from her face.

He knew.

She turned to her cabin door, and low and behold, there was Jack Sparrow, leaning moodily against the bulkhead. She gulped.

The kohl lining his eyes made them look solid black. She stared at him; he looked like a devil standing there. He shoved off, the moonlight reflecting pale from his skin. She froze, staring at him.

"Weigh anchor, set out, and trim the top sails." Jack said quietly. The crew scurried to do so, leaving Morgan facing him on her own.

He opened the door to her cabin. "Get in." he said shortly. She swallowed and walked in. He slammed the door behind him and locked it.

The ship began to rock as they left the port and the swells became larger. She stood uncomfortably, waiting.

"Sit," he said, gesturing to the bed. She sat stiffly.

"Jack-"

"Shut up," he hissed. He stared at her in the darkness of her cabin. "I could count this as a mutiny, you know?"

"I know, Commodore." Formal, they were being very formal tonight.

He nodded once, his beads jangled quietly.

"Why did you do it?"

She opened her mouth, "I wanted to start looking for information and clues, Commodore."

"So you didn't think a trip to Tortuga merited telling me?" his voice was laced with anger.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think-"

"You're right, you didn't think. You could have been captured, or worse, killed. And your father would have killed me if he found out."

"For all I know my parents are dead," she said shortly, looking away. "And plus, why do you care?"

"I told you I would help find them, and so I will."

"You're only doing it for the rum, you told me that yourself."

Jack sighed and leaned against the bulkhead. He watched her in silence, his black eyes brooding.

"You don't trust me, do you?" he asked.

She looked up, startled by the question. "What?"

"Your parents never really trusted me, I was to…outlandish…for them. I wouldn't confirm."

"Commodore?"

He shook his head.

"Did you find anything out?"

"That Dawg is considered the worst Captain since Barbossa, that he is big on class, and cuts the tongues out of his crew members."

Jack made a face. "Ouch, that hurts."

"I also learned that the pirate vessel _Morning Star_ was recently turned over to the RN."

"_Morning Star_? That's Captain Andrew's ship, isn't it?"

"It was. His crew mutinied and gave the ship to Jake."

"Ah."

They stared at each other; the creaking of the ship seemed loud and out of place.

"I do trust you, you know," she whispered softly. "It's just that you have so much to worry about…"

"And you think I wasn't half out of my mind with worry when I saw your ship gone?" She winced.

"Sorry."

He walked forward and stood in front of her. "I just ask one thing of you, love. Trust me, and I'll help you." He brushed her cheek with his finger tips and left the cabin.

Morgan sat on her cot for hours afterwards, contemplating what had been said.

AN: I know, it has been forever. And I know its short, but it is up, and that is all that counts. Standards apply, please r/r


	14. 13 Sea of Blood

Chapter 13: Sea of Blood

Morgan sunk backwards onto her cot and stared at the overhead. She fingered the chain around her neck that held the Pearl in place.

"I'm so lost…"

_Why?_

Morgan sat up suddenly. "Who said that?"

_I did!_

"Well, who are you?"

_I am I._

Morgan rolled her eyes, "Well, that was helpful."

_Close your eyes, Morgan. _

"Why?"

_If you trusted me in life, now you must trust me in death…_

"Maryia…"

Morgan opened her eyes and found herself underwater.

"Maryia…I'm sorry."

"Don't be Morgan, I am happy here. I have no burdens."

Morgan looked around, her hair floating around her head.

"And where exactly is here?"

"The ship graveyard in the Sea of Blood."

Morgan choked. "Sea of Blood?"

"Yes, the Sea of Blood. Aptly named, as you will see."

"You're dead." Morgan said.

"Yes, I am."

"Then why am I talking to you? And how?"

"The Pearl," Maryia said simply.

"What?"

"While I kept the Pearl, a memory of myself was imprinted into it. That is what you are speaking to."

"Right…that made no sense."

Maryia smiled. "I know. It was not meant to make sense."

"So, why am I here?"

"The time has come for the power to be unleashed. You will be tested in extreme ways. Do not give up. After this time, we will never speak again. Remember Morgan, those you love you are always there for you. Never forget…"

Maryia's image was fading quickly.

"You are needed…" Maryia said, and vanished.

Morgan took a breath and choked. She was inhaling water! She looked around desperately. The pressure was building, the ships were disintegrating…she was dying…she closed her eyes tightly…

_JACK!_

Morgan's eyes flew open. She was breathing hard, lying safe in her cot on her ship. She collapsed backwards and clutched the Pearl.

The bell toned out eight times; watch was changing. She stood shakily and walked to the door. She unlocked it and stepped out into the sunrise.

She stopped and stared at the rising sun.

It was blood red.

She walked to the edge of the ship and looked over, staring into the depths of the water. It to, was as red as freshly spilled blood.

"Sea of red fills a sailor with dread."

She spun. "Jack…Commodore, sorry."

"Jack is fine." He swaggered forward and leaned against the rail, staring into the water.

"This is bad, love. I don't know if this ship can weather a storm like this."

"A storm?"

"Aye, love, a storm is coming, and fast. I've never seen the water that red before."

"A Sea of Blood…" Morgan whispered, briefly touching her chest.

"How do you know that term?"

"Why, what is it?"

"Sea of Blood is a graveyard full of ships, rotting, stinking, and disintegrating…"

"And it is guarded by two merpeople, guarding the Pearl for all eternity…"

Jack stared at her.

"Maryia?"

"Yes, Jack, Maryia."

"She's dead…"

"I know that." Morgan said crossly.

"Then how?"

"I have no idea; it made no sense to me whatsoever."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "Riight."

A gust of wind flared up. The sails caught and filled. Jack frowned.

"It starts."

Dark clouds billowed over the water. Seawater lashed the sides of the ship, stinging the crew. The ship groaned as the wind pushed her steadily.

Morgan held onto the rail and watched the water swirl around the ship. It was no longer blood red, but a slate grey color. Dead to the world. Empty of all life. It was unnerving how the sea could change her face.

"Cap'n! Land ahead! We're heading straight for her!" Gunnar called out, being forced to the crows nest.

Morgan cursed and ran ahead to the bow and strained her eyes to see. Yes, there it was. Breakers slamming up against a cliff.

Morgan looked back at her ship. This was bad, very, very bad. If the ship was driven into the rocks, they were all dead. She stumbled to the bottom of the mizzenmast and looked up.

"Gunnar!" She yelled. "Come down from there! You'll do no good anymore!"

Gunnar swung his leg over and began the tedious descent back to the main deck. She watched apprehensively as he swayed in the strong wind. She heard a loud crack like thunder and stared in shock as the yardarm snapped.

She gasped and screamed Gunnar's name. He was hanging from the ropes by one arm, which was bent at an awkward angle. He struggled to find his feet and grab the ropes with his other hand, but Nature was against him.

The other pirates stood around her, watching Gunnar, knowing there was nothing they could do. Sin watched the small man struggle for his life, and came to a risky decision.

He removed his shirt and handed it to a pirate. He spit on both of his hands and grabbed onto the rope. He slowly began the tedious ascent. He would reach up, wrap his arm in the swinging ropes, and climb. Then he would untangle that arm and reach up again and continue the process until he reached Gunnar.

"You crazy!" Gunnar hissed in pain, his arm broken.

"Crazy I may be, but you will soon be dead." Sin replied in his deep voice. He took his blade out of its sheath and cut some rope. With it, he fashioned a harness. He tied the harness around Gunnar, and then to himself.

Sin slung Gunnar across his back. He looked down and slowly began to climb down. He could feel the eyes of the entire crew on him and Gunnar. He knew if he fell from this height, they would both be dead.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the deck came closer. Morgan watched, tense and afraid, as the members of her crew slowly came closer and closer.

Another loud crack, and the yardarm began to drop…straight towards Sin and Gunnar.

"SIN! MOVE!" she bellowed, her voice carrying above the howls of the wind.

Sin glanced up and saw the yardarm falling slowly towards him. He shot a look at the deck, 12 feet below him. He unwound his hand and dropped. He bent his knees and absorbed the impact for both of them.

He swung Gunnar off his back and handed him off to other pirates. Jack swaggered forward.

"That was either insanely brave, or insanely stupid."

Sin just grinned.

Morgan had watched the proceedings with fear. Now, she stared at the incoming cliffs with even more fear.

"What good was that act of heroism, if we shall all die anyway?" she spat bitterly.

_You do not have to die yet, young one._

Morgan's head snapped up. It was Maryia's voice.

_You have the power Morgan, so USE IT!_

Morgan's eyes were drawn to the main mast. She stared up its length and saw that it was still intact, still strong. She walked to it as if she was in a daze. She grabbed onto the rope and began to climb.

She didn't pause, she didn't look down. She was oblivious to the shouts of the crew below her. The only thing that mattered was the crow's nest….

Morgan's hair whipped around her face. She continued her slow climb, getting closer and closer to her destination.

She swung her leg over and landed lightly in the nest. She stared unseeingly out into the distance.

"The power…"

Jack looked up at her. "What in the hell does she think she's doing?" he snapped. He watched in shock as she, who had never climbed the mast rigging before scaled it with practiced ease.

When she reached the top, he saw as she caressed the Pearl. "What are you thinking, love?" he whispered to himself.

Morgan climbed onto the rail and balanced unsteadily in the wind. Jack's heart was pounding. What was she –

His train of thought slammed to a stop, as Morgan threw herself from the crow's nest.

AN: okay, sorry it's been so long, but I just haven't been in a pirate like mood. So here is the next chapter. I finally got some ideas going for this one again. Please R&R


	15. 14 Freak Occurance

Chapter 14: Freak Occurrence

His train of thought slammed to a stop as Morgan flung herself from the crow's nest.

"MORGAN!"

She fell.  The deck rushed to greet her.  She spread her arms, as if it would help to slow her fall.  Her hair billowed around her.  Her face was slack, not seeing, not hearing, just slack.

Jack rushed forward, but she was falling to fast!  She was going to hit!  She was going to-

Jack stared.  Morgan was floating about a half of an inch off the deck.  Her arms were out and her legs were spread.

"What in the name of hell is going on?" he hissed.  Her hair floated slowly around her face, giving the illusion of being underwater.  She even seemed to be going up and down, as if floating on waves.

Every single pirate on board was frozen in shock, staring at the floating spectacle.  Jack felt the rain slamming onto the deck.  The wind buffeted the sails and tore some from the mast.  Lightning streaked across the heavens.  Thunder rolled, sending more lightning shattering the night.

And then the rain changed.

The drops of water began to change colors, red, blue, green, it was amazing.  By the time they hit the ship, they were no longer rain drops. 

It was raining light.

Jack held his hand up and attempted to catch one.  It flew right through his hand and straight on through the ship and sunk into the roiling water.  The ocean lit up, becoming a brilliant aurora of colors.

The sound of the wind and the storm froze.  He could see that beyond the ship, the storm raged on, but here, now, it was quiet.  There was no sound penetrating the strange shell of light that now surrounded the ship.

He took a step towards Morgan when she slowly began to turn over.  It was almost painstakingly slow until Morgan's face was skyward.

That was when he saw it.

Through the strange light rain, the Black Pearl floated inches from her chest.

On board the _Black Pearl_, the pirates lined the ship, staring at the lighted spectacle that was their fellow ship.

Gibbs gripped the rail and stared opened mouthed.

"What is going on?" he hissed.

Never had anything like this unnatural light show been seen before.  It was beautiful, and terrifying.  

The ship was about to run into the rock face, when it just stopped.

It was glowing softly.  The _Nebuchadnezzar _was frozen on the raging sea.

The Pearl glowed on her chest.  The light was getting steadily brighter, until it hurt to look at.  Jack shielded his eyes and blew a breath out his nose.

Suddenly, the Pearl went dark.  He opened one eye and stared at it in confusion.  He reached out to touch it, when a single, extremely concentrated beam of light shot from it, directly into the violent storm clouds.

Jack fell back and landed roughly on his butt.  He heard the shouts of surprise from the rest of the crew.  A loud sucking noise began, as if the Pearl had become a vacuum of air and space.

His hat blew from his head.  He grasped wildly for it and caught it just in time.

"Jack, LOOK!" someone yelled.  He threw his head back and looked to the sky, where the beam of intense, concentrated light was shooting up towards.

The light hit the clouds.  The clouds began to roll and roil around the light, boiling like water.  The light grew steadily brighter, and wider at the top in the clouds. 

Soon, the clouds were being pushed back.  The storm was raging, trying desperately to hold onto the sky, where the light was prying it away.

Lightning scorched towards the light, and vanished with in it.  Jack fell backwards, lying on the deck staring in awe at the spectacle above him.  

Was he dying?  Or perhaps he was already dead?  Maybe he had died 18 years ago when that cursed woman first waved to him from the sea.  Maybe this was all an illusion.

Maybe he was just dreaming.

He sat up and stared at the sky.  It was clear and sunny as if there had never been a storm.  The waves were rolling gently around the ship.  The water was a crystalline blue.

It seemed as if hours had passed in a matter of minutes.

He glanced at Morgan, who was still floating above the deck.  The Pearl lay nondescriptly against her chest now.

He reached out a dirty hand and grabbed her shoulder.  She fell with a light flump to the deck.

"Raise what sails we have left and get us the hell away from the cliffs."

"Aye, Commodore."

The pirates rushed to work.  Sin came up and stood behind Jack.

"What just happened, lad?"

"I've not the slightest idea, mate."

"Is she alive?"

Jack felt in her neck for a pulse.  It thumped strongly against his fingers.

"Aye, she's alive."  He shifted so he was directly over and he began to shake her violently.

Morgan's eyes flew open and she sat up, throwing Jack aside.  She lunged to her feet and rushed to the edge of the ship, where she proceeded to lose her lunch.

Jack made a face and he and Sin approached her.

"What in the name of hell happened?" She asked.

Jack arched an eyebrow.  "You're asking us, love?  _You're _the one that decided to throw herself from the crow's nest in the middle of a raging storm."

"I did what?"

Jack and Sin stared at her.  "You don't remember, lass?"

"No, I don't."  She took a step forward and collapsed.  Jack caught her before she hit the deck.

"Although, I must admit I'm not feeling to well…"  

Morgan felt as if she had been punched in the gut.  She was vaguely aware of Jack's arms and Sin's looming presence, before everything went dark.

AN:  Thank you all for the reviews.  Please keep doing it, they make me happy.  


	16. 15 Repairs and Drinks

Chapter 15:  Repairs and Drinks

Jack scooped Morgan into his arms and stood up.  He walked over to her cabin and kicked the door open.  Sin followed closely.  Jack laid her on the bed and turned to the large black man.

"I want damage and injury reports.  Check the entire ship and every crew member.  Get Gunnar's arm in a sling."

"Aye, Commodore.  You will alert me if her condition changes?"

Jack nodded.  Sin walked out and shut the door behind him.  He turned and looked at the ship in the blazing sun.

She was a mess.  Her mizzenmast was in the worst shape of the top deck.  The yard arm lay haphazardly across the deck.  He stepped over it and looked at the broken remains of the mast. 

He walked up to the main mast and looked up its length.  It seemed to be in good working condition.  He called the crew over to him.

"Commodore Sparrow wants a damage and injury report, lads.  Twig, lead a crew to check the lower levels.  Willie, I want you take a few lads and check the mid deck.  The rest of you will stay up here and help me."

"Aye, sir!" the pirates yelled and began to work.  Gunnar was leaning up against the side of the wheel well.  Sin walked up to him and knelt next to him.

"Gunnar, you okay?"

"I'm alive, that's all I can ask for after a storm like that."  Gunnar said weakly.  Sin nodded and began to probe the man's arm.  He found the break and snapped it back into place.

Gunnar's scream cut through the bright sunshiny day.  Sin took strips of the torn mizzenmast's sail and wrapped it in place.  He then created a sling out of it.

Gunnar looked at him out of one eye.  "Where did you learn to do that?"

"On board the slave trade ships." Sin whispered softly.

Gunnar nodded and closed his eyes again.  Sin left him in peace and went to help check the rest of the crew.

Jack sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Morgan.  That was one of the strangest things he had ever seen in his life, and he had seen some pretty strange things in his life.

He reached out and touched her cheek.  He left his hand there for a few minutes.  Suddenly, he yanked his hand away from her and stared at it.  It was pale and drawn.

"What's happening to you, love?"

He looked at her face.  It was narrower than normal and she was extremely pale.  He took a step back and stared at her.  Her entire body was pale and drawn and she looked as if she was on her death bed.

He looked at her closely, beginning with her toes and going up her body.  He stopped at her chest.  It was glowing.

"The Pearl…"  He reached for the chain and snagged it gently.  He pulled it off her head. 

The Pearl sat in his hands, looking pale and innocent.

"Innocent my ass," Jack whispered.  He set it on the desk and went to the corner of the cabin.  He felt around and pushed open a secret compartment that he had had Gibbs put in.

He put the Pearl in the small chest inside the compartment and shut it again.  He turned and looked at Morgan.  Her breathing had evened out and color was returning to her cheeks, as well as his hand.

He nodded in satisfaction and left her to sleep in peace.

Sin had a full report ready when Jack came out. 

"Commodore, there are holes in many of the lower decks.  The mizzenmast is damn near destroyed.  We're taking on water.  Slowly, mind you, but if he let it go unchecked for too long, she'll sink."

Jack nodded.  "And the crew?"

"Gunnar was the only injury."

"We got lucky then.  Is the _Pearl_coming?"

"Aye, Commodore.  She's off the starboard stern as we speak."

Jack nodded.  "Good, mate, very good."

"Morgan?"

"She's sleeping peacefully mate."

Sin nodded.

Jack stepped up and looked out over the horizon.  There was an island.

"I want her beached on that island, mate, we need to repair her."

Soon, the ship was in the shallows, waiting for tide to roll out.  The pirates were working around the water, repairing the damages higher up.

Twig had taken a group into the jungle and they soon returned with a large tree to replace the mizzenmast.  They worked hard, and soon the old mizzenmast was dragged from the deck and landed with a splash in the water.  Another group of pirates, led by Willie, took it and began to saw it down for use of yardarms.

The work was slow and tedious.  It took nearly three days for the ship to be in as good of condition that the pirates could get her in. 

On the last night of repairs, Jack walked out of the ship with a large barrel next to him.

"Rum for all!" he shouted.  Cheers shot up around him.  Jack handed out mugs and began to pour the rum into everyone's mugs. 

As night fell, drunken cries shot up around the island.  The _Black Pearl _had pulled up as well and was anchored just off shore.  All the pirates of Jack's fleet were running around the island, enjoying the break.

Morgan stumbled off the ship.  She looked around and grunted.  She walked unsteadily down to Jack.  She fell down beside him.  He glanced at her and grinned.  He shoved a bottle of rum into her hands and continued to talk to the group of pirates listening to one of his tales.

"And then, the eunuchs started to dance and sing…lovely singing voices…and they performed the ritual…"

Morgan soon lost her train of thought sitting next to Jack.  His tall tale wasn't even penetrating her foggy brain.  The only word that occasionally got through was 'eunuchs'.

She slammed her bottle down and got in Jack's face.  His eyes widened slightly.

"Yes, love?"

"Why, why do you always talk about eunuchs?" Her eyes traveled down his body to his groin.  Her eyes flew back to his.

"You're not a eunuch are you?"

The pirates burst out laughing.  Jack grinned seductively and spread his arms.

"Would you like to check, love?"

Morgan's eyes went wide and her face turned bright red.  She got up and stumbled away back to the ship at a run.

The pirates' laughter followed her all the way back to her cabin.

Sin walked up to the laughing pirates.

"Commodore, tide is coming in.  We should leave now."

Jack nodded slowly and struggled to his feet.  "Everyone to the boats!  For tonight, we sail!"

AN: Here is another one.  Please keep reviewing it!  And wish me luck too, cause Drum major auditions are Thursday and we're doing PotC!  And I'm trying out.  I probably won't update until after that.


	17. 16 The Triangular Trade

AN: The Action starts NOW!!!  Also, the rating will probably get bumped up to R, as the story will get considerably darker from here on out.

Chapter 16: The Triangular Trade

Morgan lay on her bunk, staring at the lantern which was swinging back and forth.  She continually thought of what Jack had said….and part of her did want to check and see.  She closed her eyes and remembered the look on his face when he asked her to check.

"He has you hook, line and sinker, girl…" she muttered to herself.  She opened her eyes and sighed. 

In a way, she was slightly happy that her parents weren't here….there was no way they would ever allow her to have a relationship with a man so much older than her.

"Mum almost married Kenwick though, and he was 20 years older than her."

Morgan sighed and felt the tide lift her ship.  It began to rock slowly as they left.  She wondered briefly if Jack was on board the _Pearl_ or her ship…

She closed her eyes again and drifted to sleep.

Night hung around the ships like a thick blanket.  The night was heavy with danger.  Sin was on watch, and he could feel that tonight was different as he walked up and down the main deck.

Sin reached the bow and paused in his pacing and leaned against the railing.  He looked out over the black water.  The ocean was still and quiet compared to what it had been earlier.

He sighed and watched as fog began to billow around the ship.  The fog was thick and he could almost taste it…

It reminded him of his days on the slave trader ship.  He closed his eyes and he could almost hear the screams of his fellow Africans as Dawg took over the slave fleet.  Dawg had destroyed the small ship that about 200 Africans had been held on.

Sin was the only survivor of that ship, the example that Dawg had set for the rest of the fleet.  Sin sighed.  He gripped his arm where the slave brand was branded into his skin.

There was no point in thinking about it…except for the fact that his family and tribe had been on that ship…and he was truly the last left of his line. 

He shook his head and turned to continue his watch, and found Morgan watching him

"Hello Sin."

"Morgan." He nodded to her.  "How're you feeling, lass?"

"Better.  This is strange fog…"

"Aye, tis very thick tonight.  Thicker than normal."

Morgan looked out.  "I'll finish the watch, Sin.  I need something to occupy my mind."  _Something other than Jack_ was the unfinished part of her sentence.

"Aye lass, I'll see ye at watch change."

Sin walked off and went below to join the men.  Morgan began to pace, retracing Sin's steps.  Her mind flew back to Jack.

The way he walked.

The way he talked.

The way he smiled.

The way he sneered.

She stopped.  She was on the stern now, and the fog was considerably thicker back here.  She frowned and held her hand out in front of her face.  She could barely make out her fingers.

She squinted and looked out into the water.  Was that another ship approaching?  The _Black Pearl_ was far ahead of them and wouldn't be coming up her stern.  It was to foggy to see anything.

She heard the sound of water lapping at another ship's side and took a step back.  The other ship was close, far to close.

She could hear the footsteps of the crew on the ship and the quiet talking of the crew.  They were way, way to close.

She opened her mouth to call out when she heard footsteps on her ship.  "Sin…Is that you?"

She saw a flash of silver and didn't have time to scream before she hit the deck, unconscious. 

Sin walked up to the deck the next morning as the change of watch bells rang out.  It had felt good to sleep for a few hours without having to worry about anything.  As he reached the deck, he stretched and smiled at the rising sun. 

The fog from the night had cleared out, leaving a remarkably blue sky and crystal water.  The pirates were stirring and going about their duties.

"Morgan?  Lass?" he walked around the ship, intent on telling her to get to bed.  He walked to the bow, and to the stern.

"Where did she get to?" he frowned and knocked lightly on her cabin door.

"Lass, you in there?"

There was no answer.  He pushed the door open and stuck his head inside.  Empty.  His frown deepened.  Where in the hell was she?

He walked back out and called some pirates over to him.  They came over to him.

"Listen lads.  I need you to search every cabin, every deck, every corner of this ship."

"Why?" Jimmy asked.

"I don't know where Morgan's gone to…"

"Right, we're on it." said Willie.

The pirates dispersed.  Sin walked up to the bow and waited.

About 20 minutes had passed when every pirate was assembled on the bow.

Sin looked at them.  "Did anyone find anything?"

"Nothing below," a pirate called.

The call was echoed through the group.

"Well, I found something, I don't know what it is…but it was on the stern." Gunnar said.

"Well, let me see it!" Twig yelled.  He took the object in his hand and stared at it. 

"I can't make heads or tails of it…" he muttered darkly.

Sin held out his hand and Twig handed the small wooden object to him.  Sin held it up and froze.

It was a triangle, with 3 points, and in the center was a branded S.  He shoved up the sleeve on his right arm, and held the triangle next to his brand.

The Triangular Trade.

Everyone was staring at the object and Sin's brand.

"What's that mean?"

"It means that we must get to Jack…and quickly!" Twig said.

"Trim the topsails.  Bring up our speed and set after the _Pearl_!"  Sin yelled.  The pirates could hear the urgency in his voice and immediately set to work.

Luckily for them, the wind was at their back.  However this also met that the _Pearl_ also had the same advantage.

Jack stood on the quarterdeck on the _Pearl_.  He was looking through his eyepiece at the islands in front of him.  He felt a tap on his shoulder.  He turned and found himself face to face with Gibbs.

"What is it, Gibbs?"

"The _Nebuchadnezzar _Commodore.  She's coming up quick on our port side, and she's running the colors of meetin'.  Something bad must have happened."

"Heave to and drop the anchor when she stops." Jack muttered, wondering what could be wrong.

The _Pearl_was turned into the wind and was soon at a complete stop.  Her sister ship pulled up beside her.  Jack leaned over the rail and saw the pirates bustling around.  They dropped a boarding plank from the deck of the _Pearl_, but before Jack had time to walk down, Sin was running up.

Sin slid to a stop in front of Jack.

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Sin," he said cautiously, "Where is Morgan?"

Jack's crew fell silent as the watched Sin hand Jack the small triangle.  Jack took it in his hands and looked at it.  It slipped from his hands and he closed his eyes slowly.

"No…no…it can not be…" he muttered.

"She's not on board, Jack…they took her."

Jack screamed and slammed his fist into the railing.  "DAMN IT ALL TO DAVY JONES!!"

"Commodore what's the-" AnnaMaria started but Jack cut her off.

"Sin, take her ship and sail as fast as you can to Tortuga.  Find Captain Andrew, he'll help."

"Aye, and what'll you be doing?"

"I'm taking the _Pearl_ and sailing to Port Royal.  Kenwick Norrington will be sure to give us some ships."

"Aye, and if Andrew doesn't come?"

"Tell him that Morgan was taken by the slave traders and I need all the help I can get to get her back."

"Aye," Sin spun and ran back to the smaller ship.  Jack pulled the boarding plank onto the deck and turned to face his crew.

"Maties, Morgan was taken by the scoundrel's of the Triangular Trade.  I will do anything, anything mates, to get her back.  Are you agreed?"

"AYE!" the crew shouted out.

"Weigh anchor and bring us about, we're off to Port Royal!"

AN: There, now the action starts, and the intrigue.  Standards apply.  PLEASE keep Reading and Reviewing!!!!  Thanks mates!

Oh yes, DM auditions were today, I'll tell ye all how they went when we get the results.


	18. 17 The Fleet of Dawg

Chapter 17: The Fleet of the Pirate Dawg

Morgan groaned and attempted to sit up.  She winced as a flaring pain shot through her entire body.  She felt as if her limbs were on fire.  She felt hot tears sting her eyes.

"Is she awake?" the voice was refined and couth.  There was no responding voice.

"Good, take the gag out, and the blindfold."

Ah, so that was why she couldn't talk or see anything.  She felt grimy hands touch the side of her face and the rag covering her eyes fell away.  She recoiled from the man.

He had no tongue.

Her eyes traveled over the roomy cabin.  Every crew member was standing at attention except for the one untying her gag.  Her eyes went to the man leaning against his desk.

He had long, brown-red hair and bright blue eyes.  His teeth were white and straight and his nails had no dirt under them.  She knew immediately who this man was.

Dawg.

"You!" she spat as the gag fell away.  The red haired man smiled.

"Oh good, you do know me!"

"Who else could you be," she snarled, working her tongue over her dry lips, "other than Dawg?"

"Oh very good indeed, Ms. Turner."

Morgan moved her hands.  They were bound behind her.  She lurched to her knees and knelt on the deck.  Her feet were tied together as well.  She looked around and saw her boots next to the door.  She looked up at Dawg.

"What do you want?"

"Where is it?"

"Where is what?" Morgan moaned painfully.  She was losing feeling in her right foot.

Dawg grabbed Morgan just above her elbows and hauled her to her feet.  She squeaked in pain as he pulled her against him.  She growled into his face as he looked down on her.

"You know what I want…" he whispered as he stroked her cheek.

"Don't touch me!"

Dawg smiled and continued to rub her face.

"Where is the Pearl, Morgan?"

_The __Pearl__?__  Isn't on me? _She thought.  Her face clouded.  She then realized it wasn't on her chest.

_Jack you sly devil!  You must have taken it off after the storm!_ She almost crowed with delight.  The Pearl was safe.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Morgan said coldly.

"Don't lie to me, you whore!" Dawg's hand cut across her face.  The slap was resounding in the silent cabin.

"Do you have any idea where you are right now?"

"I'm on a ship," she snapped, trying to lean out of his touch.

"Well, isn't she a bright one gentlemen?" Dawg called to his silent crew.  The crew all nodded.

"You, Rogers," Dawg said.  A man stepped forward.  He was nondescript in his appearance.

"Aye sir?" he was one of the few that still had his tongue…for now.

"Take her up to the main deck, let her see it…"

"See what?" Morgan asked.

"The Fleet of Dawg."

Sin and the crew of the _Nebuchadnezzar _worked quickly at bringing her into port at Tortuga.  The crew worked without question.  They all wanted Morgan back.

Sin dropped the thick rope onto the dock and he and Twig jumped out.  They tied her to the dock and looked up at the crew.

"Stay with the ship.  Be prepared to bring on more crew members, as we'll need all the help we can get."  The crew nodded at Sin's words.  They began to clean the ship, making more room for the new crew members they would be getting.

Sin and Twig began to walk purposely down the dock.  "Listen Twig; find another good crew, hopefully one that will sail under this Andrew."

Twig nodded.  "I knew Andrew.  He's a good man.  It's an honor to sail under his command.  I know a few good ones who will."

"Good, lad, very good."  Sin clapped Twig on the shoulder and the two men walked in different directions.

Sin began to walk into every pub, yelling as soon as he got in for Captain Andrew of the _Morning Star._  As of yet, he had no luck. 

As he was walking down the street, one of the local girls walked up to him.  "I hear ye looking for Captain Andrew?"

"Aye, that I am."

"I know where he is, I'll take you there for a price."

Sin looked at the girl.  She was younger than Morgan, 15 years at most.  Her blond hair was ratty and dirty.  She had barely enough rags to cover herself properly.

"Name it," Sin said.

"I saw you sail in on that ship.  Take me with you."

Sin looked at her.  "Fine.  Where's Andrew?"

The girl smiled and grabbed his hand.  "This way, he's at the remains of the Black Mermaid."

They reached the charred remains in no time.  The girl sat down and began to play with the charcoal.  Sin saw Andrew sitting amongst the ruins, an old, burnt metal frame next to him.

"Captain Andrew?"

Andrew looked up.  "Who are you?"

"I sail with Morgan, Morgan Sparrow."

"Aye, I remember her.  Nice woman.  Where is she?"

Sin took a deep breath.  "She's been taken by the slave traders."

Andrew looked up in shock.  He lurched to his feet.

"You're absolutely sure they took her?"

"Aye, they left their trademark…Dawg runs the Slave Trade…"

Andrew looked pale.  "Why did you come to me?"

"Jack Sparrow said you would help us find her."

"Aye, that I will.  Lead me to her ship."  He looked at the girl.  "Is she coming?"

"Aye, she is."

The girl stood up and the three of them headed back to the docks.

Twig stood in front of the small ragtag crew he had been able to assemble.  They weren't much, but they were all loyal and would be willing to help.

He looked up as Sin, Andrew, and the girl walked up to him.  He watched as Sin put a hand on the girl's shoulder and told her to join the line up.  She did so.

"Well, this is them, Sin.  They're not much, but they're loyal and they're all willing to sail." Twig said.  Sin nodded and stepped up.

"Listen, all of you.  You will be sailing as part of Commodore Jack Sparrow's fleet.  His first captain is Morgan Sparrow Turner, of the ship you see behind him.  Twig and I sail for her.  Now you lot will sail for the third captain, Andrew."  He gestured to Andrew.

Andrew looked surprised.  "I didn't realize I'd be getting a commission as captain, Sin."

Sin nodded.  "You will be captain of Morgan's ship until we get her, and the _Morning Star_ back."

Twig walked up the line up.  "Tell me your names, and make your mark on this parchment, then board the ship."

"Aye!"

"Name is Jones, sir, Tom Jones." Jones signed his name quickly and boarded the ship.

"Alastor Roxby."

"Silver, Tom."

"Jon Jones."

"Leigh Skool."

"Orion."

The girl was last in line.  She stared at the quill.  "I don't know how to write."

"Just make a mark on the parchment," Andrew said. 

"Robyn," she said and shakily made an X on the paper.  She climbed aboard.

"What about me?" Andrew asked.

"You're free to go with your new crew as soon as we get Morgan and get the ship back.  You don't have to make an oath to Jack or Morgan."

"But I will," Andrew said.  "Jack's helped me more times than I can count, and Morgan must mean a God awful lot to him if he is getting a bigger fleet ready."

So Andrew picked up the quill and signed his name with loopy letters.  He, Sin and Twig climbed up, and set sail for the rendezvous point.

Rogers grabbed Morgan and cut the binds on her feet so she could walk.  He dragged her out side and pushed her up a ladder.  She came blinking into the sunlight.

She looked opened mouthed around her.  At least 10 other ships sailed in close proximity to the one they were on.  And the one she was on was bloody HUGE.

She wrinkled her nose.  A horrible stench was rising from the ship itself.

"What is that smell?" she asked Rogers.

He smiled.  "What smell?  I don't smell a thing."

She heard the cabin door open and looked behind her.  Dawg came up behind her and pressed his cheek to her hair.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

"The fleet or the smell?" Morgan retorted.

Dawg smiled into her hair and brought his hands up and wrapped them in it.  He grabbed onto it and yanked backwards hard enough for Morgan to cry out.

"You'll learn to respect me yet, Morgan."  He ran his tongue over her ear.  "You'll learn to love me, even…"  He dragged her by the hair back down to his cabin, where the rest of the silent crew waited.

He threw her onto his bunk.  "Tie her onto it," he commanded.

"No…no Dawg!" Morgan whispered as the crew tied her arms to the posts and preceded to do the same with her legs.  Dawg took off his overcoat and threw it over his chair.

"Strip her, and bring me a whip." 

The crew preceded to carry out Dawg's orders.  Soon, Morgan was naked and screaming in anger at Dawg.

He smiled and crawled on top of her.  "Easy, Morgan…this won't hurt a bit…"

Morgan clamped her eyes shut and the last thing she thought about before her mind went blank was…

…Jack Sparrow…

AN:  duh duh duh.  Not quite ready to write a rape scene, so use your imagination (or don't)  Just please keep reviewing!!!  Thanks to all!!!


	19. 18 The Pirates of Port Royal

Chapter 18: Pirates of Port Royal

Jack stood on the quarterdeck watching as the fortress walls of Port Royal grew steadily closer.  He gripped the helm so hard that his knuckles were white.  He had never felt a rage quite like this before.  It felt as if molten lava were flowing just under his skin.

He heard the wood cracking under his grip.  He wrenched his grip tighter, until the piece he was holding onto snapped off in his hand.  He stared at it in anger.  "ARGH!" He cocked his hand back and threw it as hard as he could.  His crew looked up at him when he screamed. 

"Drop the anchors." He said coldly.  They immediately complied. 

"Gibbs and AnnaMaria, with me.  The rest of you stay here.  Savvy?" he growled, anger coursing through his words.  Even the pirates, like Gibbs, that had known Jack much of his life had never seen him like this.

Jack, Gibbs, and AnnaMaria climbed into the rowboat and the remaining pirates on board lowered it to the sea.  The three pirates took up oars and rowed like mad.

Jack tied the boat at the dock.  He took four shillings out of his pocket and shoved it into the man's hand.

"Name?"

"Jack Sparrow, the others are of no concern to."  Jack drew his cutlass and held it out.  "Is that clear?"

"Yes Mr. Sparrow, crystal clear." The man stuttered fearfully.

Jack sheathed the cutlass and stalked down the dock.  His normal bouncy type sway was gone, replaced by a walk of a man who had lost something dear to him, and had every intention of getting it back.

AnnaMaria and Gibbs chased after him.

Word spread like wildfire that Jack Sparrow, the pirate that had escaped nearly 18 years ago was in Port Royal.  People were doubling back trying to get a glance of the infamous pirate.

Women called out to him.  Men leered at him.  He just kept walking until he reached the gates of the Norrington Manor.  There was a lock on them.

He scoffed and drew his pistol.  He cocked it and fired.  The lock fell to the ground.  Jack shoved the gates open and continued up the steps and knocked three times on the door.

A guard appeared, followed by nearly a dozen more.

"Mr. Sparrow, is it?  Commodore doesn't want you to dirty up his manor," the first guard sneered. 

"Is that so, mate?" Jack said.

"Yes, it is.  So you can return to your ship, or we can take you and your companions into custody, where you will finally get the justice that you need!"

Jack threw his head back and laughed in the man's face.  Then he drew his cutlass and pressed it against the man's throat, all pretenses of laughter gone.

"Let me make it clear to you, officer.  I get in to see Norrington, or you and your men die.  Savvy?"

The man laughed nervously.  "You think three pirates against 12 Royal Navy officers is fair?"

"No, I think one pirate against 12 is," Jack hissed, his face inches from the man's.

"You think you can take all of us on?" another officer asked, looking at Jack in disbelief.

"No, I know I can kill you all." Jack said evenly.

The RN officers took a step back and stared at the pirate.  He had very obviously lost his mind if he was willing to take on all of them without back up.

"I knew you were crazy, Sparrow, but not that crazy." Another said.  Jack spun and drew the blade across the man's chest.  His jacket fell to the ground and a thin line of blood appeared on his chest.

"Let us in, now…" his voice was low, barely audible.  The RN guards looked nervously at one another.  Jack sighed.

"NORRINGTON!!!  CAN YOU HEAR ME KENWICK!!"  Jack took another deep breath, the RN guards and Jack's pirates backed off. 

"COME OUT AND PLAY NORRINGTON!! OR THESE GUARDS WILL BE NEW FIGUREHEADS FOR THE _BLACK PEARL_!!!!  COME OUT COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE!!!" Jack bellowed.

They heard crashing and the door swung open.  A maid stood there, breathing hard.  She stared at the pirates, and then at the RN.

"Commodore Norrington sends his greetings to Jack Sparrow and Company and says to head up to his study.  He also tells the Royal Navy idiots to get the hell off his property."  She held the door open for Jack, Gibbs, and AnnaMaria and slammed it quickly in the guards face.

The maid looked at them.  "This way."  She led them up the stairs and down a long hallway until the reached a door. She knocked and pushed the door open.  Jack swayed inside.

"Jack," Kenwick stood up and took in the view of the angry pirate.  Kenwick looked at the man, and could see why he was truly one of the best pirates he had ever seen.

"Jack, what's wrong?"  He looked at the other two, who stood quietly in the background.

"Where's Morgan?" Kenwick asked softly.  Jack reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the wooden triangle.  He threw it at Kenwick.

"Do ye know what that is, Kenwick?"

Kenwick studied it, and nodded slowly. 

"It was found on Morgan's ship, and she wasn't.  The slave trade has her."

Kenwick dropped the triangle.

"Dear lord…"

"That's why I'm here.  I need you to help me find her, Kenwick.  I have a total of two ships, and two captains.  However, I need you to lend me a ship for a pirate captain to sail, Andrew's ship was taken, by _your_ son."

Kenwick's fist clenched.

"And then he sold it to Dawg, have you ever heard of Dawg, Kenwick?"  Jack was leaning on Kenwick's desk.

"I've heard of him.  Bad sort of fellow, isn't he?"

"The worst mate.  He runs the slave trade, has Andrew's ship, and oh yes, he took Morgan from me and I will do whatever it takes to get her back.  If you don't agree to help me I will take every single ship in this port and make them mine.  Savvy?"

"Jack, I have every intention of helping you."  Kenwick leaned over his desk and began to write hastily. 

"What are you writing, mate?"

"My resignation as Commodore in the Royal Navy."

"Is that so?" Jack asked.  "Why?"

"Because as soon as we take a fleet of ships out to do this, every member of the Royal Navy that sails with me will be a pirate."  Kenwick set down the quill and looked at Jack.  "We will be under your command, Commodore Sparrow."

Jack straightened up and looked at him.  "You, and a whole crew of Royal Navy 'Idiots' are going to become pirates that sail under my command?"

Kenwick looked at him and smiled.  "Aye, Commodore.  Many of the sailors think of Morgan as a little sister and would willingly give up their commissions to save her."

Jack looked at him.  "I'm honored, mate, truly."

Kenwick smiled.

"However, you do know this means you've been demoted to Captain, right?"

Kenwick walked into the dock house, where many of the sailors waited for orders.

"Commodore on deck!"

Everyone stood as he entered.  "As you were." He said softly.  Everyone sat back down.

"You all remember Morgan Sparrow Turner, right?"

"Aye," the call came from around the room.

"Didn't she join the pirates?" one asked laughingly, "just like we always said she would?"

Everyone laughed.  Norrington raised his hand for silence.

"She's been kidnapped by the slave traders."

Silence fell through the room.  Every man here had always thought of Morgan as a constant.

"Now, Commodore Jack Sparrow came to me.  He plans on getting her back, at any cost.  He asked me to find some people willing to look for her…"

"But we'd be engagin' in piracy, Commodore."

"Aye, that you would."  Everyone turned as the door swung open and Jack Sparrow walked in.

"Commodore on deck," Norrington cried.  Everyone climbed slowly to their feet, staring at Jack.

"Thank you, Captain Norrington, for that marvelous introduction."

"Captain?" everyone stared at him

"I too, will go to any length to get Morgan back, including engaging in piracy.  I left my resignation on my desk.  This is important.  The pirate we are going after is named 'Dawg' and he is the worst of the worst.  Commodore, if you could explain."

"Dawg commands the slave trade, gents.  He sails with a fleet of at least 12 ships, and he cuts the tongues out of his crew members, so they don't talk about him behind his back.  He has the distinct advantage of having at least, tow third rate ships."

The men looked at each other.  "I need people willing to sail under Norrington, for he will lead part of the fleet against Dawg.  We're going to kill anyone who gets in our way."

"But that's murder!"

"That it is." Jack said.  "But I will not let them have Morgan.  Do you know what they do to people on slave traders?"

A general murmur of ascent rose from the men.

"Listen men, you are all my friends, as is Jack.  I know you want to help, so please, help us." Kenwick pleaded.

"If you're with us, lay down your musket."

Slowly, the men looked at each other, not sure what to do.  Then one lay down his musket. 

"Private Jones, sir" he saluted Jack. 

Other men began setting down their arms and joining the ranks.

Jack smiled.  "Thank you gents.  Commodore Norrington, get your ships ready.  I will wait for you on the _Black __Pearl__._  And remember the ship for Andrew."

"Now I'm a commodore again?"

"Aye, you are."  Jack looked at the sailors, no the pirates.

"I give you…the pirates of Port Royal!"

AN: okay, so now it gets juicy.  Thanks for all the reviews, keep doing it loves.


	20. 19 White Star

Chapter 19: White Star

Morgan woke slowly.  Her arms were stretched at a painful angle and her legs were tied apart.  She clamped her eyes shut, trying to keep out the reality of what had just transpired.

"Awake are we?"

She started and opened her eyes.  Dawg lay beside her, naked.  She hissed and turned her head away. 

"Ah, don't play that way, dear.  I really don't like it."  Dawg stroked her cheek.

"Don't touch me you bastard!" she snarled.

"Don't call me that!" She had very obviously hit a nerve.  He drew his hand back and slapped her. 

He stood up and walked over to his cloths.  "Really Morgan.  I would think after the wonderful night we had together that you would respect me more."

He picked up his trousers and stepped into them.  He looked at her.  

"Didn't you enjoy last night? I did."  Dawg tilted his head back thoughtfully.  "Most fun I've had in a while."

Morgan felt hot tears well in her eyes.  She hated him.

"Rogers!"

"Yes sir?"

"You may do what you wish with her." Dawg said curtly as he left the room.

Rogers smiled and walked over to her.  He climbed onto the bed.

"How do you like it?" he asked.

Morgan stared at him.  "I'd like you dead!"

He unbuttoned his trousers and smiled wickedly.  "Sorry dear.  That's not an option."

And for the second time in 24 hours, she was raped, beaten, and used.

Morgan woke again.  She looked around and saw Dawg sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Have you come around yet?  Are you going to tell me about the Pearl now?"

"Never."

"Too bad." He looked at his silent crew.  "Untie her and take her to the blockade.  Rogers, bring the whip."

He stood up and left.  The men untied her and dragged her from the cabin, up the stairs, and onto the main deck.

There she was pushed onto her knees and her arms were chained above her.

"Tell me, Morgan, or this will hurt."

She glared at him.  "It can't hurt anymore than what you've already done to me."

Dawg tilted his head to the side.  "Pity, and I was hoping it would work between us."

Dawg held out his hand.  Rogers held out the whip.  Dawg flicked his wrist and the ship uncoiled.  It slithered as he moved, an extension of his hand, a living creature.

"You have one more chance, Morgan, tell me, or you will get 20 lashes."

"Go to hell."

"Gladly," Dawg hissed between clenched teeth.  He raised his arm back and brought the whip up.  It cracked through the air and snapped across her back.  Morgan clenched her teeth.

"One," Rogers said, smiling sardonically at Morgan.

The whip cracked again.  Morgan screamed. 

"Two."

CRACK!

"Three."

CRACK!

"Four."  The crew watched as her back was slowly torn apart.  At ten Dawg stopped.  Morgan sagged in the chains.

"Morgan, I'd really like you to tell me, or I may be forced to take drastic action."

Morgan didn't say anything.  She just knelt there, breathing hard.

"Rogers, bring the cat' o nine tails." Dawg said coldly.  He flicked his wrist again and the bloody whip coiled into his hands.  He was very good with it.  He handed it to Rogers and Rogers left to get the 'master' whip, as they called it.

He took the whip with its little silver balls on the ends of the nine 'tails' carefully to Dawg.  Dawg took it and uncoiled it with a flick of his wrist.  Morgan could hear the balls hit the deck.  She clenched her eyes shut.

Dawg was talking again, but she couldn't hear them.  She concentrated with all her might on Jack…Jack…

"AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Morgan's scream cut through the images in her mind.  Her skin was literally being pulled from her back.

She felt blood and thicker things run onto the deck.  Dawg took a step back and frowned. 

"I can't have her dirtying my bed tonight.  Nor will she dirty any of yours." He said, correctly reading the looks of want on his crew faces.

"Take her down to the hold; chain her with our 'Black Ivory'.  I will question her again tomorrow.  Rogers, clean the whips." Dawg dropped the whip onto the ground and returned to his cabin.  Morgan felt hot tears running down her face.  They fell and mingled with the blood, leaving little droplets of clear water in an ocean of blood.

Two men unchained her and dragged her to her feet.  They walked over to a hatch and it was pulled open.  One man descended the ladder and waited at the bottom while the other shoved Morgan down after him.  The last man climbed down. 

They pushed and pulled her down more layers, and as they went lower, the stench that she had smelled upon boarding the ship was getting stronger.  Much stronger.  She had thought that Tortuga had been bad, but Tortuga smelled downright nice compared to this hold. 

They opened another door and the sounds of humans in agony hit Morgan.  She recoiled at the site of thousands of Africans chained damn near on top of one another, piss and feces everywhere.

The two crew members dragged her down one of the thin alleyways and cam to a stop at a blank spot in the chains.  The shoved Morgan onto her back, where the dirty deck mixed with her wounds. 

Her piercing scream cut through the moans of the rest.  The men chained her hands and feet.  They stood up, and then looked at each other.  There seemed to be some type of communication between the men.  Morgan stared at them, knowing what was coming. 

The first man undid his pants and lowered himself onto Morgan.  His eyes seemed to say that the captain hadn't said that they couldn't have their fun.  He penetrated her repeatedly.  When he was spent, he stood and tucked himself back into his pants, and his partner took his turn.

They left, leaving Morgan screaming for Jack.

Dark eyes peered at the strange white girl.  The white one had stopped screaming and now lay quiet.  Of course, they all stopped screaming in the end. 

There was a rustle of movement.  A small black child darted in between the chained bodies.  Her wrists were badly cut, as were her ankles.  She had pulled out of the chains.

She knelt by the white girl and studied her.  "They used the bad whip on you…" she muttered.  She reached out and touched the girl's forehead gently.

The girl started and began thrashing at her chains.  "I will not hurt you!" the black girl cried softly.

The white girl froze, her bare chest heaving with silent sobs.  The black girl took her head into her lap and stroked her cheek.

"They do unspeakable things to you, why though?  You are their own."

"I have something they want," the girl muttered weakly, "And I won't give it to them."

"Brave sentiments girl," someone said.  The black girl shot a silencing look at the man who had spoken.  The black girl pulled some leaves from somewhere, and began to chew them slowly.  When she had it to a pulp, she forced them into the white girl's mouth. 

"Eat," the white girl swallowed.

"I shall call you White Star, for you are like a single White Star with in a blanket of night."

The black girl stroked White Star's cheek.  "Sleep now, White Star, and be gone from this nightmarish reality for a short while."

AN: sorry this one is shorter.  But guess what?  I GOT DRUM MAJOR!!!!!!!


	21. 20 The Sparrow Fleet Sets Sail

Chapter 20: The Sparrow Fleet Sets Sail

Jack Sparrow stood in his cabin.  The captain of each ship in the fleet stood around his desk, where a chart was laid out.  Kenwick walked in a few minutes later, carrying more charts under his arm.

"This is all of them, Jack."  Jack nodded and jerked his head to his bunk, where more rolled up charts were sitting.

"Someone get Sin for me," Jack muttered distractedly.  One of the former RN captains rushed from the cabin and they could hear him bellowing for Sin.  The captain returned to his spot surrounding the table.

Jack was muttering nonstop under his breath and stroking his braided beard.  The cabin door opened again and Sin ambled in.

"You asked for me?"

"Aye, I did." Jack looked up.  He pointed to a spot on the open sea.  "This is the last known area that the Slave Trade fleet was spotted in."

Sin shook his head.  "That was weeks ago, when Morgan…when Morgan found me."

Sin pointed to a spot much closer to the islands.  "They'll be somewhere around here, by now."

One of the RN men looked at him.  "How would you know?"

Sin pulled up the sleeve on his shirt and turned his left arm over.  Branded in the center was a triangle with an S inside of it.

"Dawg had just taken over the fleet.  He burned the ship I was on as a demonstration to the others.  I was the only survivor.  That's when Morgan found me floating on a piece of wood."

Jack nodded mindlessly and continued to study the charts.  "How many ships do we have total?"  He muttered to himself.

"Twelve, Commodore," Captain Jones (formerly Private Jones) said.  Jack nodded.  He grabbed a charcoal pencil and began to draw lines on the chart.  He drew a circle around the area where the fleet was believed to be.

He put nine dashes at the Sparrow Fleet's current position.  "Alright Gents,"  he pointed to the circle.  "Since we are fairly certain that the fleet will be within this area, I'm going to split the fleet up at bit.  Sin, how does Dawg sail?"

"The main slave barge sails in the center, it's capable of holding thousands in its hold.  He has the rest of the smaller ships, his consort ships, sail in a constant circle around the barge ship, to protect it.  There is always one ship at the cardinal points, and the rest fill in the spaces around the barge."

Jack nodded.  "Right, now, we have the same amount of ships that Dawg does."  Everyone nodded.  "There will be four smaller fleets of three ships each.  I will lead the North Point team, which will consist of the _Pearl_ and the _Nebuchadnezzar, _and the _Destiny._   Commodore Norrington will lead West Point Team, which will consist of _Marja's Memory, _the_ Dauntless, _and the _Herculean._

"Captain Jones will lead South Point team, _Lost Innocence, Dark Lancer, _and _Davy Jones_ will consist of that team.  The final team will be lead by Andrew in the _Apocalypse._  The final two ships, _Resolute_ and _Retribution_ will follow him, Savvy?"

"Aye," everyone said, staring at the chart.  Jack took up the pencil again and began to draw routes.  "North Point team will go through this straight and will appear at the head of Dawg's fleet.  West Point will go around this island to the west and take those ships.  South Point and East Point will set off opposite of Norrington's team.  I put the fastest ships with Jones, as his team has the farthest to travel.

"All ships are to be destroyed.  If there are any Africans, take them aboard, and then set the powder magazines alight.  The only ship that is to be taken is the _Morning Star_.  Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded.  "You may raid, pillage, and plunder these ships.  Take weapons, rum, gold, or anything they happen to be carrying."  He glanced at the former RN men. 

"I'm going to mix the crews a bit.  You RN men are accustomed to strict guidelines, so I'm going to mix my pirates with you.  You will see crew assignments on the bulkhead outside my cabin."  He looked hard at everyone.  "Let me make one thing perfectly clear," his voice fell to a whisper, "Every member of Dawg's fleet will die."

He let that statement sink in for a moment.  "Is everyone's course clear?"

"Aye!"

"Good," he rolled up the chart and stuck it inside his desk.  As he did, a slip of paper fell out.  He stooped and picked it up.  It was the letter R, written in Morgan's careful handwriting. 

He allowed it to flutter back down to the deck.

"Dismissed."

He listened as everyone walked from his cabin.  He heard them pause at the lists and take them down.  Already, the crews were assembled on the correct ships, he had briefed the pirates the night before, and they were all ready and willing to kill Dawg's men.  He knew the nature of men, once one was enraged enough to kill, the others would quickly follow suit.  It was one of the many reasons he had mixed crews.

He turned his mind to another puzzling aspect.  That girl Sin had brought aboard, Robyn.  No one knew much about the girl, except for the fact that she had been a lift skirt in Tortuga.  The girl had asked to sail under Andrew, and Jack had allowed her.  She brought the total females in his fleet to three. Morgan, AnnaMaria, and now Robyn. 

He shoved the blond girl out of his mind and walked out of his cabin and proceeded to the quarter deck.

"Weigh anchor!" Jack called out.  The ship groaned as her anchor was pulled dripping from the depths of the sea.  Pirates scuttled up the rigging to the yardarms.

He heard the weigh anchor call repeated on the _Nebuchadnezzar _and the _Destiny_ and watched as the smaller ships' anchors were lifted.

"Prepare to sail!"  Shrouds were dropped and the wind caught them, filling them up.  The ships lurched forward, and the Sparrow Fleet set sail.

AN: Yes, I know, this is a VERY short chapter, but at least it's updated.  Please keep reviewing, I want to try to get at least 100 reviews before this story is over.  Keep enjoying it, rum to all.


	22. 21 Branded!

Chapter 21: Branded!

Dawg sat in his chair, lounging. He caressed the whips that lay on his bunk; each one had a name and was used for a specific purpose. He caressed Plague gently and set it back next to its brothers.

He stroked his perfectly shaved chin. He needed the Black Pearl. It was the answer to all of his question, his wants, and his desires. He alone could use it. He knew Morgan or that despicable, laughable pirate Jack Sparrow would never figure out how to use it. He doubted they even knew it was more than just a trinket.

He frowned, lines crossing his smooth face. But they had to know something, or else they wouldn't guard it with such secrecy. He wanted it!

Damn it! He _needed _it.

He glanced at the hourglass in the corner. Morgan had been in the hold for 12 hours now, it was time to question her again. He smiled suddenly. He knew exactly what he would do.

"You, Kadeem!" The tongueless man shuffled forward and grunted.

"I want you to heat the brand, and bring in buckets of saltwater. Is that clear?" Kadeem nodded.

"Valin, take Calvin and bring Morgan up from the hold." The men nodded and followed Kadeem out.

Dawg smiled. "Soon, Morgan, very soon."

Morgan wasn't sure how long it had been since the little girl had fed her some kind of plant, but she was in agony. Piss and feces were rubbing into her wounds. She listened to the moaning of the others in the hold and felt like crying.

No one should ever be treated like this. She could hear people in the final throws of death. The Grim Reaper danced around the room, dropping his scythe and taking souls at what seemed to be a random place.

She halfway hoped that He would drop his scythe to touch her forehead.

Alas, he did not.

The hold hatch opened and two of Dawg's crew walked in. The Africans spit and screamed at them, but they received nothing but whiplashes in return. The two men walked with a purpose until they reached Morgan.

She glared at them, her eyes rolling up to look at them. She drew her lips back into a snarl. The men stooped over and undid her chains. They then put a chain around her neck and dragged her up.

They tugged on it and she winced. It had tiny little spikes in it that still hurt like hell every time they jerked on her. She followed cautiously, barely aware of how nasty she looked.

One went up the ladder and out of the hatchway. He took the chain up and tugged on it. Morgan followed, and the last man came out after her and locked the hatch behind him, drowning out the worst of the smell, and the sad cries of lost hope.

The men led Morgan back to the blockade. They locked her into it and stepped back.

"Rogers, use the seawater and clean her." Rogers took the buckets that Kadeem had retrieved from the ocean and dumped one over Morgan.

She gasped as the frigid water coursed down her back. She felt the nasty stuff slid down her back and over her buttocks to drip to the ground.

"Again," Dawg's voice said coldly. Morgan grit her teeth as the salty, cold water flowed over her open wounds. She felt a sponge put against her back and bit back a scream as it was rubbed all over her.

She felt fresh blood well up and mix with the remains of skin, feces, and piss on the deck. Her breathing was raspy and short. She was taking as many deep breaths as possible to try to clear her nose of the stench from the hold.

"Back away," Dawg's voice rang out in the cool morning air. The men cleaning her backed away as they were commanded to do so.

Dawg walked in front of her and she got a good look at him. He was tall and lean, with red hair and blue eyes. His skin was pale, and his hands were soft and uncalloused.

The only work this man did was the whipping.

"Now Morgan, I'm willing to give you another chance…" his voice drifted off. Morgan knew what was coming. "Where is the Pearl?" He said each word slowly and deliberately, as if that would make her answer.

Morgan scowled. "I already told you I'm not telling you where shit it!"

Dawg sighed and stood up. He gestured to the man that had gotten the seawater…Dawg said his name was…Kadeem.

Kadeem moved forward. He had a strange device behind him that was radiating heat. There was a long metal rod sticking out of it. Morgan, as well as the rest of the pirate crew, watched as the man drew closer.

Dawg smiled at Morgan. "Did you notice the brand mark on the Black Ivory's arms?"

Morgan said nothing, just stared at the metal rod. Dawg reached over and pulled it out. Morgan's eyes were drawn to the tip, which was red hot. Her eyes darted to Dawg, and then to the bare spot on her left arm.

Dawg stood above her and smiled. "You will be sold as a slave when we reach the port of Chesapeake in 5 weeks…if you survive that is." He spun the brand in his hands and drove it into her left arm.

Morgan's scream pierced the air. The smell of burning hair and flesh filled her nostrils. She clenched her eyes closed and grit her teeth. Smoke drifted around her head. She felt a hand grab her just above the burn and her wrist was thrust into yet another bucket of seawater.

The salt burned her. She winced in pain. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the brand mark. A triangle with three points on it, with a large S in the middle. She closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat.

She was branded a slave.

Dawg looked down at Morgan. She had tears streaming down her face, but when she looked up at him, it was a look of pure hatred. Her face was contorted into one of fury. Her eyes were as hard as the cutlass bound to his waist.

Staring at her, looking into her eyes, he felt a flash of fear. She was deadly.

"Rogers, Kadeem, take her below. Do not do anything with her, is that clear?" The two men nodded and unchained her from the blockade and tugged on the one around her neck. She stood on her own and followed them grudgingly.

They went back down into the hatchway and they walked along the blacks until they reached her spot. They shoved her down and chained her wrists and ankles and unhooked the chain from around her neck.

They stood and left quickly. Morgan felt blinded by rage. How dare Dawg do this? After everything else he had done to her? To her family? He had taken her parents and she still hadn't found them. And now he dared take her from Jack?

A wordless scream erupted from her mouth. The hold fell silent except for her screams of rage.

Her body bucked as she fought the chains. Blood began to flow from her wrists and ankles and mixed with the other body fluids in the hold.

She screamed until her voice grew hoarse and finally went still. Her chest was heaving with pain.

"I swear on pain of death and mutilation, I will kill the one who has done this to me!"

AN: alright, a little bit longer, better than the last one. Please keep reviewing. I really want 100.


	23. 22 The Grim Reaper

Chapter 22:  The _Grim Reaper_

Jack stood in his cabin staring at the plans that he had drawn up.  He traced his finger along the route of the North Point team and sighed.  He glanced up at the painting.

"Damn to hell whatever mutton head created the Pearl," he muttered.  He began to roll up the charts and placed them in the shelf under his bunk.

There was a quick knock on the door.

"Whoever it is better have something good to tell me or don't come in!" Jack called mindlessly.

The door opened and a RN sailor walked in.  Jack stared at him.  He couldn't be more than 25 years old.  He carried a set of rolled up charts under his right arm.  He looked very nervous as he shut the door behind him.

"Uh…Commodore Sparrow…uh…sir?"

"Spit it out boy, what do ye need?"

"I…Before I joined Commodore Norrington, I was part of the Triangular Trade."  Jack, who had been looking at the painting and stroking his chin, froze.

"What?"  He turned and stared at the man.

The man had the grace to look uncomfortable.  "It was before Dawg took over, sir.  I joined it because the pay was good."

"Why did you leave?"

"Didn't like the way Dawg did things."

Jack stalked to the man.  "So you can tell me about Dawg?"

"Aye, sir.  And his fleet.  That's what these are."

He looked at the table, asking Jack's permission to use it with his eyes.  Jack nodded curtly.  The man unfurled the charts.  They ended up being plans for various ships.

Jack stared at the one on top.

"This is the main barge ship.  The _Grim Reaper._  I helped build her, so I know much about her."

"Tell me," Jack said urgently.

"She is a first rate ship," at those words, Jack paled slightly.

"She has 100 guns?"

"112, actually."  Jack moaned.  This wasn't looking up.

"Dawg had the middle and lower decks removed to make one giant hold for the black ivory.  At the poop deck he has a set of three blockades, so he can chain people there and beat them at his leisure.  Coming off the Maintop mast Yard he has a set of gallows to hang the crew members who displease him.  He keelhauls many of his crew members."

Jack made a face.  Keelhauling was not a pleasant way to go.  He remembered well watching members of Barbossa's crew being dragged under the keel as a means of torture.

"Continue," he said curtly.

"Right, now he has a total of twelve ships in his fleet.  The rest are his consort ships, protecting the _Reaper_ from…well, from people like us.  The _Deviance_ is a third rater, and sails with no Africans in her.  She is strictly a gun ship.  The _Black Devil_ is a fourth rate, and is a gun ship only.  The rest of the ships are gun ships.  They trade positions at random times so they're never in the same spot."

Jack looked at the plans for the barge ship.  She was huge.  "Tell me what you can about Dawg."

"He has red hair," Jack looked up at that, it was a strange occurrence on the sea.  "He is a very clean man.  His hands are uncalloused by work.  However, he is very good with whips.  They are extensions of his arm.  They seem do to whatever he wishes them to do."

"He makes his crew do all the work.  He uses the Admiral's quarters as his private quarters."  The man looked at Jack.  "In short, sir, he's an ass."

Jack grinned lopsidedly.  "Well, we knew that."

"You've been a very large help, sailor, what it your rank?"

"Able Seamen."

"Consider yourself a midshipmen," Jack muttered, staring at the plans.  It was a big jump in rank, and the sailor looked surprised.

"Thank you very much Commodore!"

"hnnn…" Jack said.

The Midshipmen left as quietly as possible.  Jack looked up as the door shut.

"_Grim Reaper _indeed…"

The _Grim Reaper_ was sailing along at full sail, making a good 12 knots.  Her consort ships sailed around her in a continuing circle.  The sea was calm, and there was just enough wind to fill the sails.  Visibility was high, and nothing could bring Dawg's spirits down.

Except that damnable woman Morgan Sparrow Turner.

Four days of the utmost and despicable torture he could think of, and she still wasn't talking to him.

He slammed his fist on the table.

"God I hate that girl!"  He looked at his eternally silent crew.  "Bring her up, clean her, and tie her to the blockades," he said carelessly.  He shooed them out the door and returned to his desk.

He opened the drawer and pulled out one of his whips.  He caressed it and smiled.  He headed out the door and to the blockades.

Morgan knelt at the blockades again.  She had a slight smile on her face as she watched Dawg walk up to her.

"What are you smiling about, wench?" he sneered.

Morgan laughed.  "It's so pretty, isn't it?  The way the colors blend together.  And the way the ship rocks, like a baby in a cradle."

Dawg stared at her in confusion.  She had very obviously lost her mind.  His crew stared at each other.

She looked at Dawg.  "I see him you know?  Death.  He's quite handsome.  Rides a big black horsey.  I like his horsey."

"What in the hell?"

Dawg looked around at his men, and then back at Morgan, who was singing a mindless tune under her breath.  He looked closer at her.  There were marks around her genital area.  He growled and spun to face his crew.

"Did any of you hear me when I specifically said not to do anything to her?  WHO WAS IT?"

Four men stepped forward, knowing it was better to tell him now than to let him find out through secondary sources.  Dawg looked at them with contempt. 

"Rogers," he said coldly, "bring four nooses from the supply room."  Rogers ran to comply.  The four men began to breath harder than normal.  Morgan was giggling behind him.

"There's a pretty horsey!  I like the horsey."

Dawg looked back at her, "Someone gag her please."

Morgan's eyes danced with laughter as the dirty gag was tied around her mouth.

Rogers returned with the nooses.  Dawg gestured and the nooses were slipped on the necks of the men.

"Well, start climbing."  The four men looked dejectedly at each other and began to climb.  When they reached the yard arm they stopped and balanced awkwardly on the narrow beam.

"Now," Dawg bellowed up to them, "tie the end to the yard arm, and jump!"

The men complied with shaky hands.  You see, Ms. Tuner, obedient til the bitter end."

Morgan grunted, her eyes dancing with malice as the men stood back up.

They jumped.

At the same instant, the gag fell from Morgan's mouth.  She began laughing hysterically, looking straight at Dawg.

The bodies blew in the breeze.

"Good God, someone shut her up!" Dawg yelled.  Rogers made a move to slap her, and Morgan dodged out of his way; she had slipped from the chains.

She stared at Dawg, all pretense of insanity gone.  She smiled benignly at him.  Two men grabbed her wrist and started to drag her back to the hold.

"He comes for you, Dawg.  And when his scythe drops and touches your forehead, I will be there to watch, and I will laugh as you die a slow, painful death."  She looked at him coldly.  "You will die you son of a bitch, and I will be there."

She turned and walked willingly with the two men.  She called over her shoulder just as they walked down into the hold.

"Sweet dreams, Dawg, sweet dreams."

Jack stood on the bow of the _Pearl__._  Fog curled around the large, wraith like ship.  The crews were running silently.  There was hardly any wind, but the ships moved along at a steady 3 knots.

Jack turned and walked to the quarter deck.  He took out his eyepiece and looked through it for signs of any ships.  He froze, listening.

He could hear the waves slapping off the hull of another ship, a ship that wasn't part of the north point team.  He raised his hand; the crew stopped what they were doing on a moments notice.

They waited.  A heavy silence fell over the ships.  He heard a whisper.

"It's the _Black Devil_, commodore."  Jack nodded and stared at the gun ship.

"Board her, kill the crew, and then light powder magazines.  Remember to take the Africans aboard."

The _Pearl_pulled up alongside the _Devil_.  Jack's crew moved like wraiths, silently, blending in with the fog.  They dropped almost silently onto the deck of the smaller ship. 

The first throat was cut by a former RN man.  The crew mowed through the men.  They never knew what hit them.

Blood flowed like water on the deck; it seeped down the cracks and started to drip onto the lower decks.

As the blood dripped, other crew members came running to the top deck to see where the blood was coming from.

There they met a terrifying sight.

Jack Sparrow stood in front of his crew, moonlight covering him. 

The devil had arrived.

"Kill them," Jack whispered, his lip curling in a sneer.  "Kill them all."

The crew moved around him.  Jack never moved.  He just stood there, his head slightly down, looking at the crew of the _Devil _through angry eyes.  The crew back up as Jack's men advanced towards them.

Jack watched dispassionately as the men of the_ Black Devil _were cut, and sliced, and hacked into little pieces.

"Leave that one," Jack whispered.  The crew stopped and parted like a curtain as Jack walked forward to the last living man.

The man cowered beneath Jack.  Jack stood there, watching him silently.

"She's on the _Reaper, _isn't she?"

The man stared at Jack Sparrow and began to laugh.

"The infamous pirate came all the way here to save that bitch?"

Jack backhanded the man violently.  He sagged backwards and stared at Jack in shock.  The slap resounded over the silent ships.

Jack reached forward and wrapped his hand in the man's short hair.  He dragged the man close to him and tilted his head back.

"Tell me where she is," he hissed, anger evident in his voice.

"She's on the _Reaper!_  Please, let me go!"

Jack threw his head back, flinging the beads over his shoulders.

"All right then," He took his blade and flipped it in his hand.  He drove the blade straight up through the man's jaw into his brain. 

Blood dripped down the shining cutlass, dark streaks against the clean silver.  Jack turned the blade violently and ripped it from the man's head.  A sickening sound reached everyone's ears as the skin attempted to retain the blade.

Jack wiped the blade clean on the man's trousers and sheathed it.

"Blow the ship," he snapped.  He walked back onto the _Pearl_and headed straight for his cabin.

The crew moved in shocked silence.  Never had they seen Jack loose it so totally like that.  Jack was not one who killed for enjoyment.

But this was not enjoyment, it was revenge.

The pirate crew stood on their respectable ships and waited.  The three ships of North Point Team had sailed away as quickly and quietly as possible.

They waited, and there it was.

There was a loud shattering bang, and fire whipped through the fog.  Body parts could be seen, but just barely.  Wood struck the water with hard slaps.  The water rocked from the impact.

One down.

Dawg jerked out of his bunk when he heard the bang.  He rushed outside.

"What was that?"

"I have no idea, sir!" Rogers replied quickly.  They looked out over the water and to the north they could see a raging fire.

"What in the name of hell just happened?"

Morgan heard the blast over the moans and screams of her fellow hold mates.  She smiled and crowed with laughter.

"He's here!  Haha!  He came and the Grim Reaper will earn his keep tonight!"

AN: I know its been forever, but school starts soon and I figured I should start writing on it.  Anyway, please review people.  This chapter was a little…more violent than the others.

SC


	24. 23 Vengeance

Chapter 23: Vengeance

Kenwick heard the explosion from the _Black Devil._ He smiled grimly as he heard the startled shouts of the _Deviance's _crew. He raised a hand. His men, pirate and RN alike, moved silently to the rail of the ship. _Marja's Memories _drifted alongside the _Deviance._

Kenwick dropped his hand. Boarding ropes were flung over the side and the clamped onto the smaller ship's side and drew her against the _Memories._ The crew of the _Deviance_ froze as they watched shadowy men climb aboard their ship.

"Who dares board the _Deviance _of the Fleet of Dawg?" a sailor cried into the fog.

"We do," Kenwick sneered. "Dispose of them."

The pirates and RN sailors lunged forward. Swords sought the soft, human flesh of the opposing side. Feral shouts pierced the air and gunshots cracked the still darkness.

Dawg froze. "Gunshots?" he hissed. Was his fleet under attack? He quickly walked out of the storage room, where he had gone to get a flag. The flag was the mark of the Slave Trade. It was cream colored with a blood red triangle with an S in the center of it. The triangle was super-imposed over an hourglass, to signify that time was running out.

He rushed to the flag hoist and began to drag it up. It would signify to the other ships in his fleet that something was wrong.

He had to know what was going on!

The fog was slowly drifting around the now wounded _Deviance._ Her once wood colored deck was now a deep blood red.

Kenwick stood silently on board the _Deviance. _His crews had gone and cleared the ship of her crew. He shifted, and the blood under his shoes made a funny noise. He looked down and frowned. He didn't really like doing this, all this killing…

But it was for Morgan, and he would do anything to save her. She was like the daughter he'd never had. No, he had to get stuck with that idiot boy for a son.

He frowned. Where was the boy anyway? Since Jake had left, he hadn't heard a word from his fleet. They were (hopefully) still searching for Will and Elizabeth.

Kenwick frowned. With Morgan being kidnapped by the slave trade, he almost totally forgot that was what her original intent had been. Now, perhaps because of her searching for them, she was a captive of the Triangular Trade.

Kenwick looked out over the deck of the silent ship. She rocked slowly under his feet, causing the blood to run off the sides of the ship.

"Commodore…we have a problem…" one of the RN men said. His name was Travis.

"What is it?"

"Three of our men were killed…Johnson, Bradley, and Oscar."

Kenwick's face closed up. "Any of the pirates?"

"No sir, but Gunnar, the one from Morgan's ship, got hurt trying to save the three of them."

Kenwick nodded and closed his eyes. Three of his men were dead. He opened his eyes and looked around. Gunnar came up, supported by a pirate and a RN. He nodded.

"Everyone back on the _Memories. _Travis, you and Kyle light the powder magazine. Let's blow this ship."

He turned and followed Gunnar and the two helping him onto his ship. How could he have let this happen? He turned and waited impatiently as Kyle and Travis rushed back aboard.

"All set, Commodore." Kenwick nodded and the ship began to pull away from the _Deviance _as quickly as possible. The fog curled around the bow, and an ocean shattering explosion settled over the water.

"That's two."

Dawg strained his eyes to see through the heavy fog. He could barely make out the flags being raised. He did a quick count. He frowned. "Not possible…" he was missing two ships.

His impenetrable fleet was being torn apart right in front of his eyes.

Andrew waited patiently as the ship he was on (he already forgot her name, the _Morning Star_ was the only one that actually mattered to him) sailed up beside his ship. She looked as good as the day she was made.

"This is her," he whispered to his crew, "Kill the crew, but don't harm her."

The men nodded and boarded her silently. Startled shouts rang out. For the third time, blood flowed like a raging river. Andrew walked over to the flag hoist and lowered the slave trade flag. He unfurled a jolly roger and hoisted it up.

"Dispose of the bodies," he said softly. The crew complied, taking the bodies and dumping them over the side. They floated silently by the ships. Andrew raised his pistol and shot a hole through the slave trade flag. He dropped it down with the bodies.

That made three.

Silently and efficiently the pirates destroyed Dawg's consort ships. Dawg was terrified. Never before had anyone done anything like this to him!

He raised the whistle to his lips and gave three deft tweets. A small, single masted ship emerged from the fog. The one man on it climbed up and held the rope ladder steady for Dawg.

Dawg looked at the man. "You will be rewarded in the afterlife." His voice was higher than usual. His face was white and his eyes were wide with fear.

The man just stared at him, not saying anything; not that he could.

The sun crested the horizon sending orange light bouncing across the water. Sin stood on the deck of the _Nebuchadnezzar _and watched as the fog slowly dissipated.

Out of the fog a monstrous shape appeared. She was huge, with four masts and 112 guns. She was the _Grim Reaper_, the fear of Africa. He felt a surge of anger just looking at the ship.

Something appeared from behind the derelict ship. A much smaller boat, steered by one man was making quick time away from the massacre. He could barely hear the startled gasp as the man in the boat saw the bodies of the crew from the _Morning Star._

Sin saw the _Black Pearl_ swing up next to the _Grim Reaper_ and throw boarding ropes on board. His own ship was much too small and didn't even reach halfway up the _Reaper_'s side.

The _Lost Innocence_ sailed up along the _Reaper_'s other side and threw her own boarding ropes on. Sin turned to his crew.

"Come up along side the _Pearl_. I'm getting on board that ship." The crew complied silently, shocked into silence by the sheer size of the ship.

The _Nebuchadnezzar _came up within feet of the _Pearl_. Sin leapt easily across the small gap and landed with a slight thump at Jack's feet.

"Let's go, mate," Jack whispered to the large black man. Sin nodded. They stared at the hull of the _Reaper_, feet above the rail of the _Pearl_Jack gestured violently with one hand and the boarding plank was brought up and laid across the gap.

Jack put one foot on the plank and tested it. He walked up the plank and appeared for the first time on the deck of the biggest ship he had ever been on.

Sin came up quickly, followed by most of the crew of the _Pearl_and the _Nebuchadnezzar. _The crew of the _Lost Innocence _dropped in from the other side. The two crews looked at each other and nodded.

"NOW!" someone shouted. Suddenly, Dawg's tongueless crew leapt out from hiding places and charged the pirates.

Jack smirked. "Now really, mates. You didn't think we weren't expecting that, now were you?"

He raised his pistol and fired. The first man fell hard as the shot slammed through his body. Jack shoved his pistol down the front of his pants and drew his sword. He leapt into the fray.

The tongueless crew fought much more valiantly than the crews of the consort ships had. However it just made for much more bloodshed.

As the sun continued to rise, the decks ran with blood. Jack's brown boots were soaked through. The sounds of ripping flesh and the cries of the dying filled the air.

Orange light fell over the ship, drowning the scene in a surreal light. Jack stopped hacking and glanced up at the sun. All of the sounds drifted away from his mind. He was only focused on the rising of the sun…

"STOP!" he shouted suddenly. Everyone froze, pirate and slaver alike. They looked at Jack in surprise. Jack stalked forward to one man; he still had his tongue.

"Kill the rest," he hissed. Blades ripped through tender flesh with a vengeance.

"So…" Jack whispered softly. "Who are ye?"

"Rogers."

"And would that be the key to the holds?" Jack asked, picking up a set of keys with his sword.

Rogers nodded soundlessly. Jack smiled, "Good, very good."

He turned and looked at his men. "Chain him to those blockades; I'll deal with him in a minute." Gibbs, Jones, and Andrew bodily dragged Rogers screaming to the blockades.

Jack sheathed his sword and quickly reloaded his pistol. He took the keys and walked over the entrance to the hold. A terrible stench was wafting though the planks. His nose wrinkled.

He slowly placed the key in the slot and turned. There was a soft click and the door swung open. Jack stepped back and reflexively covered his nose. His eyes watered with the smell.

He took a step down the ladder and paused. He was scared of what he would find. He could hear the cries of despair from the thousands of people in the hold. Would Morgan be dead?

His heart thudded loudly in his chest, and he descended the rest of the way into Hell.

AN: Okay, yes, it's been forever, but it's out now. Thank you so much for all the reviews. I really appreciate them. Please keep them coming. Standard disclaimers apply. Thanks again.

SC__


	25. 24 Sea Lily

Chapter 24: Sea Lily

Jack dropped the rest of the way into the hold. He stared silently at the appalling image before him. He convulsively grabbed his left arm and muttered a soft curse. He turned as he heard other's drop in next to him.

"Free them," he whispered in horror, "free them." Sin walked over to the first row of Africans and pulled the chain out of the wood. He drew it quickly down and as he did the chain slid through the manacles holding their hands and feet.

The Africans climbed slowly and painfully to their feet as Sin went and repeated the same with each row.

Jack stared down the hold in silence. It seemed to go on forever, stretching into an eternity of horror and death. He felt something tug on his jacket and he looked down. He stared into the solemn black eyes of a little girl.

"You look for White Star," she stated firmly.

"White Star?" Jack muttered back.

She grabbed his hand and led him down the hold. Jack watched the expressions of happiness grace the faces of the people that Sin had just freed. He wasn't sure how long the little girl dragged him, but it sure seemed like an eternity.

Finally, she stopped. She pointed sadly at a limp, white body. "White Star," she whispered firmly.

"Morgan," Jack sputtered in terror. Was she dead? Oh, please don't let her be dead! He rushed to her side and fell to his knees next to her. Her eyes were closed, and her bare chest heaved with heavy breathing.

"Morgan, what have they done to you?" he whispered. He stroked her cheek and lifted her slowly from the atrocious deck. She hung in his arms like so much meat. He clutched her to him and turned slowly.

The little girl was gone. He frowned, where did she go? Most of the Africans had already climbed up onto the top deck; the last few were trickling up the ladder. Jack followed them and gently repositioned her so he could climb up the ladder.

He emerged blinking into the sunlight. The Africans were huddled in groups, talking happily to one another. Kenwick looked up as Jack came towards him.

"There are well over two thousand-" he froze when he saw Morgan. "Dear Lord."

He rushed up and touched her forehead. "She's burning up, we need to get her to Port Royal; I know a good doctor there."

Jack nodded. "Hold her," he whispered. He tipped her naked body into Kenwick's arms and spun around. He heard the crack of a whip and was startled but pleased to see one of the freed Africans whipping Rogers.

Jack strode forward and watched silently. The man stopped and looked up at Jack. He pulled a set of heavy manacles out and jerked his head towards Rogers, and then towards the ocean. Jack understood at once.

"Unchain this man," he said. Gibbs unlocked the chains and then violently kicked him across the face.

Jack took a step back and gestured with his hand. The black man smiled maliciously and chained Rogers' feet together. The white man looked horrified.

"May Davy Jones keep you well, and may your trip to hell be painful and long," Captain Jones hissed at Rogers. Jack nodded at the black man. He shoved Rogers hard in the back, taking him closer and closer to the rail.

"Wait, you can't do this! Parle! Parle!" Rogers screamed. "According to the code-"

"You have to be kidding me! The code is just a set of guidelines!" someone yelled. Jack ran a hand through his blood soaked hair.

"Make 'im sleep with the fish."

The black man placed a foot firmly on Rogers back and pushed. Rogers fell into the water with a scream. They stood on the edge of the _Reaper_'s deck and watched as Rogers floundered and struggled to come up.

The chains began to take their toll, and with one last infuriated scream, Rogers sank beneath the waves.

Jack spun back amidships and walked to Kenwick, who was still holding Morgan. Andrew walked up and joined them.

"We need to get these people back to Africa," Andrew said softly. Jack swung his jacket off and wrapped it around Morgan. He pulled her away from Kenwick and held her lightly.

"Maybe some of them know how to sail," Kenwick said.

Jack shook his head, "A ship this size needs people who are sure of themselves around the rigging." He looked at Andrew.

"Are you and the crew of the _Star _willin' to accompany the _Reaper _back to the mainland?"

"Aye, Jack."

"Good mate, very good."

Andrew called his crew over to him and they began conversing. Jack turned back to Morgan. She looked dead.

"We need to hurry," Kenwick muttered softly. Jack nodded. Time was running out.

Jack stood sullenly staring out to sea. Morgan was resting on board _Marja's Memories,_ waiting for the return trip to Port Royal. But there was something that needed to be done first.

Who was that little girl that had led him to Morgan?

He turned to Sin, who was deep in conversation with an African Chieftain. He walked up and waited for them to finish conversing.

"Sin, ask him about a little girl…she wasn't chained up…she led me to Morgan. Sin turned and spoke the rapid language of some African tribe. The Chief shook his head and looked thoroughly confused. Sin's brow furrowed and he turned to Jack.

"He said the only little girl they had on this ship was named Sea Lily, and that she died nearly four weeks ago."

AN: Holy crapola. I UPDATED:does a happy updated dance: YIPEEE! I know it's been, well, forever, but since marching band season took my life up, and my horse has been sick all winter, I haven't really cared about much, just been writing short stories mainly (see CSI and SGA).

Anyway , thank you so much for all the reviews and I hope to have another chapter up before I loose interest again.

Please keep reviewing, I love you all.

Silent Cobra


	26. 25 Medical Care in Port Royal

AN: I know it has been forever, but first I discovered that the first fifteen chapters of this story were screwed up, so I had to fix that little problem.

And then I had to put my horse down awhile ago….so yeah…I haven't really been in a writing mood.

I would also like to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, however, please, if you are reading this story for the first time, or have not reviewed it before, please, please, PLEASE do not review after every chapter. This is annoying to people who wish to read reviews from different sources. If you were the last person to review the previous chapter, and I update, and you are the first to review, thus making your reviews are back to back, I don't care.

Thank you again for the reviews. I love you all.

Chapter 25: Medical Care in Port Royal

The ships parted ways that very night. Andrew and three other ships went with the _Grim Reaper _to accompany her back to Africa, but not before renaming her.

_The White Star._

Jack watched as the ships disappeared. They had Morgan back, the Africans were going home, but Jack was still not happy.

Dawg and a few of his men had escaped. Jack was sure that they would easily gather another crew and start all over again. After all, Dawg was a 'privateer for the King.'

Gibbs was taking over the _Black Pearl _while Jack returned to Port Royal with Norrington and the injured. The outcome of the battle was better than he expected, they had only lost fourteen men and not a single ship was sunk on their side.

Still, it had been a bad night. The air stank of blood, a slight coppery taste that seemed to permeate the pores. Jack watched as the last preparations were made before _Marja's Memories _would sail away with three escort ships.

Kenwick walked up to Jack.

"She's stable, but we need to hurry."

"Aye," Jack whispered softly. The moonlight shone down on the water, making the waves ripple with light. It reminded him of that night in the storm, when the rain made of light had fallen from the sky.

Kenwick stared at the pirate. His dark eyes held a haunted look, a look of a man who was lost. Kenwick never thought he'd see the scoundrel pirate with that look. He put a hand lightly on Jack's shoulder.

"Why don't you go sit with her? We can handle the ship."

Jack nodded mutely and wandered off to Kenwick's cabin, his swagger muted, almost as though through a curtain of smoke.

Kenwick didn't know if Jack knew why he felt that way.

Love could do strange things to people.

PIRATE

Jack slumped to the deck in the small cabin. Morgan lay pale and lifeless on the bunk. Her chest was barely moving, the only indication that she still lived. Jack stared at his boots. The once supple brown leather was almost black with dried blood. He cursed softly and pulled them off. He would never be able to get all the stains out.

Jack was so tired. His body was cursing him for many sleepless nights and the events of the day. He moaned and stared at the rest of his body. He was covered in blood. His skin and hair were tacky with blood. He wanted to be clean. He wanted, no needed, sleep. His body slumped sideways, and he crashed on the deck of the cabin.

PIRATE

Kenwick looked out at the three escort ships that had insisted on following them back to Port Royal. The _Nebuchadnezzar_, _Resolute, _and the _Apocalypse_ sailed behind his ship.

He could understand why the ships wanted escort him. Everyone knew that Dawg had escaped, and no one wanted to risk anything. Kenwick shook his head as he turned back to the bow of _Memories_. Life was cruel in so many ways.

Young Morgan Turner had been torn from her typical Port Royal life and thrown into the life she had always dreamed of; piracy. No one had ever said anything about the slave trade, but no one ever did.

And then there was Jack Sparrow, an enigma if there ever was one. The man had been sleeping with whores and lift-skirts for so long, he had no idea what to do with Morgan. Kenwick smiled briefly to himself. He also knew that Jack would never admit it in a million years.

Now, if they could just get Morgan back to Port Royal and get her proper medical care, and then find her parents, perhaps this mess could be sorted out.

Maybe, after Dawg was dead.

PIRATE

Kenwick turned the ship over to the first mate and headed for his cabin, where he knew Morgan and Jack were. He opened the hatch and stepped in. Morgan was on the bunk, pale and sweaty. Her chest was rising and falling under the sheets, really the only sign she was alive.

Jack's boots were on the deck next to him, covered in the rusty dry color of blood. His hat was skewed on top of the boots. His arms were akimbo and his head was at an awkward angle. He looked, quite frankly, like he had come in and collapsed.

He probably had. Kenwick knew that Jack had gone many days without sleep, and even the inscrutable pirate needed sleep. And on top of no sleep, Jack had pulled off the feat of defeating a large portion of the slave trade.

Kenwick grabbed Jack and pulled his body into what looked like a more comfortable position. He stood and walked over to Morgan's side. She had lost quite a bit of weight and was covered in open wounds. He gently looked at her wrists, making sure no infection was setting in when he saw it.

There was a brand on her left arm; the Triangular Trade's brand.

"Good Lord…" he whispered. She was branded a slave. With today's laws, someone could see this and claim her. It would have to be covered for the rest of her life. He placed her hands back under the covers and touched her cheek.

"Don't you die, Morgan, we need you still."

PIRATE

The wind was behind them, filling their sails and pushing them straight to Port Royal. Kenwick figured by now that news of his resignation and the desertion of so many Royal Navy men would have gotten around. What was the response going to be? How much did he really care?

He saw Port Royal come slowly into view, the place that he called home for so many years, the place that he had Marja had lived, and the place where she had died. His heart rode in his throat as the ships slowed their approach.

Kenwick raised his hand. "Drop anchor here. We'll approach the rest of the way in the small boats."

He never thought he would have to approach Port Royal by cover of darkness, sneaking into his own house for God's sake. But he was no longer a Commodore of the Royal Navy, he was a pirate.

They had dropped anchor a good distance from the port. Anyone looking out would only see four ships, nothing unusual for Port Royal. Slowly, his men gathered the injured and placed them in small rowboats.

Kenwick waited to see that they were set off safely before returning to his cabin to rouse Jack and get Morgan. He knelt next to Jack and shook him gently.

"Hnnn…" Jack moaned.

"Jack Sparrow, wake up."

"'s Comm'doe Sparrow…" Jack muttered.

"We're at Port Royal, we need to get Morgan to my house."

Jack's eyes opened and he blearily focused on Kenwick. He pushed himself to a sitting position and groaned. His eyes immediately found Morgan; no change. He stood up and the men walked to Morgan's bedside.

"There's a boat waiting for us," Kenwick whispered. Jack nodded and lifted Morgan from the bed. She hung limply in his arms, her head hanging sideways and her mouth parted ever so slightly.

Jack turned and followed Kenwick out of the cabin. He could feel the open wounds on her back; although in reality her entire back was more of an open wound. As he walked slowly behind Kenwick, he couldn't take his eyes of the lifeless woman in his arms.

Her usually honey colored hair was matted and covered with feces and piss. Her cheeks were hollowed and he could feel her ribs grating against his arms. She was a living corpse.

PIRATE

Jack sat in the stern of the boat, Morgan placed carefully on his lap. They were slowly drawing closer to a small private dock that belonged to the Norrington's. The sailors reached the dock and one leapt nimbly onto the wooden planks. Another tossed him a rope and they were moored.

Kenwick stood and climbed onto the dock. He turned and waited for the sailors to climb out. Jack stood last, Morgan still in his arms. He passed her to Kenwick and climbed silently from the boat. Kenwick tipped her back into the pirate's arms and turned to his men.

"Take the boat back to _Memories._ Go around the rocks and wait for us there. I don't know when we'll be in touch."

The sailors touched the brim of their hat and silently set off again. Kenwick glanced at Jack. "This way."

PIRATE

Kenwick led the way to a servant's entrance. He held the gate open and waited for Jack to get ahead of him. The older man led the pirate to the back door and opened it. He glanced around. The house was still immaculate. It looked like Sara was still working here.

He decided to risk it. He headed to her small quarters and knocked on the door. It opened.

"Yes? Oh! Master Norrington! You're here!"

"Shhh, Sara." Her mouth clamped shut immediately as she looked over Kenwick's shoulder and saw Jack and Morgan.

"Sara, I need you to find Doctor Fabian and bring him to the house. Tell him that we have a patient in grave danger and he needs know nothing else. He will be handsomely paid for his silence."

She nodded and quickly changed out of her slippers. "And where will you be, Master?"

Kenwick paused, "Sara, please, I have asked you before, do not call me that. You are not my slave."

She nodded briefly.

"We'll be in the extra room."

"No sir, I recommend the guest room closest to yours. I just changed the sheets today, it's the cleanest."

"Thank you, Sara."

Sara nodded and grabbed a lantern. She gave Jack a small nod and headed out the servant's entrance. Jack was growing tired of following Kenwick everywhere, and his arms were becoming sore.

Kenwick led the way up a flight of stairs and down the hall to the guest bedroom. He pushed the door open and ignited the lamps. Jack set Morgan down on the bed and stepped back.

Now, they just had to wait.

AN: Oh my God. I updated. I know, and I am so _sorry _that I haven't worked on this story, but I will try to do it more, although no promises. I swear it'll be done one day. And then, I'm rewriting it, because I've improved immensely as an author and I want this story to reflect that. Please review, they feed my soul.


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